Now we know- child poverty targets let-down

Today I expressed my deep disappointment on the floor of the Senedd that the UK Government’s target of abolishing child poverty by 2020 has suffered a severe set-back. Figures released by the Department for Work an Pensions today reveal child poverty levels have risen for a second successive year – there are now an additional 100,000 children living in poverty, taking the total to 3.9million for the UK. The figures are a huge blow to the efforts being made to eradicate child poverty in Wales. The most vulnerable in our society are paying the price for the UK Government’s missed opportunities in several Budgets. There is a moral obligation on Whitehall to come up with the necessary resources to reverse this damaging trend.

I called on the Assembly’s Counsel General to set aside time at the Assembly to debate the issue as a matter of urgency, and also called on Social Justice Minister Brian Gibbons to lobby the Westminster Government for the Assembly to have an enhanced say on Welfare policy.

Other countries across Europe continue to out-perform the UK in child poverty eradication. I fully support calls made by child poverty charities for an additional £3billion from the Treasury to be targeted at children in poverty using the welfare systems. If London continues to show impotence in this area then the Assembly will have an obligation to seek powers over aspects of the welfare system to deliver for our young people.

Today's figures show that:

* The number of children in the UK experiencing low income and material deprivation - those who can't afford basic things such as sending their kids on a school trip - fell by 100,000 between 2005/06 and 2006/07.

* The number of children in relative poverty rose by 100,000, both before and after housing costs are taken into account, to 2.9million (BHC) and 3.9million (AHC) respectively between 2005/06 and 2006/07. Between 1998/99 and 2006/07 the number of children in relative poverty has fallen by 600,000 (BHC) and 500,000 (AHC).

* The numbers of pensioners in relative poverty rose by 300,000 to 2.5million (BHC) and by 200,000 (AHC) to 2.1million between 2005/06 and 2006/07. Between 1998/99 and 2006/07 the number of pensioners in relative poverty has fallen by 200,000 (BHC) and 900,000 (AHC).