Child poverty
According to the 2016 Annual Report for the Child Poverty Strategy in Scotland, the number of children living in relative poverty has risen by 20,000 so that now one in five children are affected(your report, 22 December).
The numbers are now at 60,000, so the SNP claim of tackling poverty, homelessness and inequality is just the usual sound bites.
On the same day, the Scottish Government confirmed it will invest £10 million on its “international development fund” next year – a £1 million increase on this year.
Since 2006 the Scottish Government has given £30 million at a time when child poverty and homelessness was increasing.
With the Westminster government already sending £12.2 billion abroad, including Scot- share, shouldn’t Scotland’s voluntary aid budget be used to alleviate the very serious problems we have in Scotland especially child poverty?
CLARK CROSS Springfield Road, Linlithgow Before getting to oh et up about statistical-based reports such as the recent one on child poverty (your report, 22 December) I would suggest it is advisable to give them some critical consideration.
As you rightly point out in your editorial comment, it is a statistical measure of poverty which is in issue here and the only complete solution would be to arrange for every household with children to have the same income – which isn’t going to happen.
Likewise, increases in the incomes of the more affluent households will push more of the poorer ones below the poverty line without any change in their material circumstances.
As regards the reported increase in the percentage of children in households below the poverty line, this statistic could reflect an increase in the number of children in them or a fall in the size of families in the rest of the population as well as an increase in the number of families falling below the line.
S BECK Craigleith, Edinburgh As a Christian I am increasingly wearied and saddened by the persistent diatribes from Neil Barber of the Secular Society against, it seems, any form of religious belief (Letters, 21 December.)
He reminds me of Saul (later the Apostle Paul) “breathing out... against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9). Is it too much to hope that Mr Barber may yet have a “Damascus Road” experience? RUTH MILLIGAN Denholm, Hawick Neil Barber seldom misses a chance to have a go at Christianity. His latest attempt uses the Jedi Order as a stalking horse, and I don’t suppose any Star Wars enthusiast will thank him for that either.
At least Neil keeps things nice and simple, even if the world (and Christian faith) is a lot more complex than he makes it. It is always easier to mock the christmas child than to listen to him and try to follow his ways.
JOCK STEIN Dunbar Road, Haddington