The Scottish Government can still achieve its legally-binding target to reduce child poverty to 10% by 2030, John Swinney has insisted after charities warned it is set to be missed.
The First Minister said it will take effort from both the Scottish and UK governments to lower deprivation among children north of the border.
He said there will need to be the “right policy focus across the board” if the goal is to be met.
The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act requires ministers to cut the rates of poverty among children to 10% in the next six years.
But statistics released by the Scottish Government earlier this year showed nearly a quarter (24%) of children were living in poverty in Scotland.
That was 6% higher than the interim goal of 18% for this year, which the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said “will almost certainly” be missed.
The Child Poverty Action Group said the current figures show the Scottish Government is set to “fall far short” of its 2030 target.
Speaking during a tour of the CentreStage arts charity in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, on Tuesday, Mr Swinney said he will “exhaust every possible avenue” to lower child poverty, and he insisted it is not too late for the 10% target to be met.
He said: “I think it is achievable if there is the right policy focus across the board.
“We’ve taken steps, for example, through the Scottish child payment which is contributing to keeping 100,000 children out of poverty in Scotland today.
“We have, as a consequence, comparatively lower poverty rates in Scotland than the rest of the United Kingdom.
“But if you had a whole series of policy interventions from the Scottish and the United Kingdom governments working in harmony, then you can make even more substantial progress.”
He urged the UK Government to end the two-child benefit cap, which he said is keeping 20,000 children in Scotland in poverty.
“If that was to be removed it would provide us with the opportunity to make even more progress than we are making today,” he said.
“That is an example of policy at the United Kingdom Government level working in harmony with what the Scottish Government is trying to achieve.
“I think it is perfectly achievable if we have the right investment and involvement.
“What I can say, from the perspective of the Scottish Government, is that we will do absolutely everything we possibly can do to try to configure policy within the resources available to us to make them the greatest impact possible on child poverty rates.”
A report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on Monday accused both the UK and Scottish governments of failing to use their powers to reduce poverty.
Its research found the proportion of those living in “very deep poverty” – measured as those earning below 40% of the median income – has surged to 40% of all families in Scotland, up from 26% in the mid-1990s.
The JRF said families are being “locked into poverty” by a “failing” social security system.
The UK Government has been approached for comment.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel