Walk the walk on child poverty

THE Scottish Government's Child Poverty Bill pledges to end this blight on society.

But evidence shows that, unless Nicola Sturgeon and her colleagues take radical action, the problem will get much worse.

One in four Scottish children already live in poverty. That is a scandalous statistic that any government worth their salt should be doing all they can to correct.

Experts are agreed that the best way to do it would be to top up child benefit.

A extra £5 a week would lift 30,000 children out of poverty and improve the life chances of hundreds of thousands more.

Scotland's new beefed-up devolution settlement means Sturgeon now has the powers to top up any benefit she wants.

And the child benefit plan is estimated to cost around £256million a year – small change from Holyrood's £32billion budget.

This newspaper has repeatedly exposed the damage caused by the UK Government's benefits cuts. Children are suffering.

Of course, the SNP can't be expected to undo every Westminster cut to welfare – but child poverty is in the remit of Holyrood.

Child benefit is not part of universal credit and can't be stopped or delayed as part of a benefit sanction – so the Record is convinced topping it up would be the easiest and most effective way to reach the families who really need help.

We are not alone. A range of charities, civic organisations and faith groups are all behind the plan, including the Catholic Church and the Church of Scotland.

The Scottish Government talk a very good game on tackling child poverty.

It’s time for Sturgeon to put our money where her mouth is.