Question
Child poverty haunts Edinburgh. In Scotland’s capital there are more homeless children than there are in the whole of Wales, which is a shameful legacy of 20 years of Scottish National party rule. Worryingly, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation warned last month that we are set to miss our child poverty targets by a significant margin; one in five Scottish children are still in poverty. What conversations has the Minister had with Scottish Ministers about tackling child poverty, and will she press them to use some of the extra £18 billion that this Government have given the Scottish Government for Scotland’s poorest children?
Answer
Again, I strongly agree with my hon. Friend. Tackling child poverty is not just a moral imperative; it is an investment in our country’s future and our children’s future. The fact that so many children in my hon. Friend’s community grow up in poverty is a scar on their life chances and a scar on all of us, but this Labour Government are taking decisive action in lifting the two child-limit, which will benefit an estimated 94,000 children in Scotland. In England, we are also expanding Government-funded childcare for children under two, and I am sure that many Scottish families hope the SNP Government will do the same.14% point-scoring 29% vibes
Verdict: RED (9/100)
The reply does not say whether the Minister has engaged with Scottish Ministers, so that part of the question went unanswered. On the £18 billion and whether the Minister will press for it to be spent on a specific purpose, the reply offers only a general hope that the Scottish Government will follow the UK's lead on the two-child limit and childcare, which is a hedged political remark rather than a commitment. A member of the public would not come away with a clear answer and would likely need to ask again.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the nature of the Minister's engagement with Scottish Ministers on tackling child poverty? | Not Addressed | Generic | Nothing in the reply describes the Minister's engagement with Scottish Ministers; the statements cover the Government's own policies (two-child limit, under-two childcare) and general rhetoric, and the only reference to the SNP is a point-scoring remark about what Scottish families hope the SNP will do. |
| Will the Minister press Scottish Ministers to use some of the extra £18 billion the Government has provided to the Scottish Government for Scotland's poorest children? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply never mentions the £18 billion or says whether the Minister will press Scottish Ministers; statement 7 only expresses a hope that the SNP Government will follow the UK's lead on the two-child limit and childcare, which is a rhetorical jibe rather than a commitment to press for the specific use of funds. |