FIVER ALIVE
Campaigners says Nats rejected chance to cut child poverty with new powers
CALLS to top up child benefit by £5 a week and lift 30,000 youngsters out of poverty were rejected yesterday by the Scottish Government.
Campaigners had wanted the SNP to write the measure into new social security laws, using newly devolved powers.
But in a vote yesterday, the party rejected Labour’s amendment.
The Nats said they had “consistently taken the lead” in addressing child poverty and claimed the plan would not target those most in need.
Campaign group the Poverty Alliance have urged Holyrood to use new powers to directly benefit the poorest.
Director Peter Kelly said: “With new targets to reduce child poverty, the Scottish Government will need to find ways to say how they’ll reach these challenging targets.
“The Poverty Alliance and our members called for the Scottish Parliament to have more powers to tackle poverty.
“Now that we have them, it is important that we use them.”
MSPs on Holyrood’s social security committee were voting on various amendments to the Bill yesterday.
The full Parliament will vote on the final draft of the legislation.
Labour social security spokesman Mark Griffin said the SNP had sided with Tories.
Griffin said: “SNP MSPs like to talk the talk on child poverty but now they have shown their true colours by not putting their money where their mouth is.
“The SNP and the Tories had the chance to lift 30,000 children out of poverty – but instead they aligned to stop it.”
Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman said analysis of the proposal suggests £7 of every £10 would go to families not living in poverty.
She added: “This Government have consistently taken the lead on actions to address child poverty.
“When the UK Government abolished their child poverty targets, we introduced income targets to eradicate child poverty by 2030 through the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act.
“As a consequence of the act, our first child poverty delivery plan, with actions to meet the ambitious targets, will be published later this month – backed by our new £50million Tackling Child Poverty Fund.
“We also have the benefit of advice from the independent and expert Poverty & Inequality Commission who point to more effective ways to lift children out of poverty.”