Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 05 September 2024
05 Sep 2024 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Programme for Government 2024-25 (Eradicating Child Poverty)
I would like to make some progress.
We know that that approach is making a substantial difference already, by saving families money and, importantly, allowing women to return to the workplace. In 2024-25, we will continue to invest around £1 billion in high-quality ELC, and we will continue to expand access to funded childcare for families who need it most through our work in the six early adopter communities. In those early adopter communities, since 2022, we have been working with families who are most at risk of living in poverty to provide them with the school-age child services that they need, and families tell us that that funding is making a difference. It is helping to get them back into work and to alleviate pressure on household budgets.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-14322, in the name of Jenny Gilruth, on the programme for government—eradicating child poverty. I invite ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (Jenny Gilruth)
SNP
Ending child poverty is the single greatest priority for this Government and is, I hope, a truly national mission that is supported across the chamber. I am ...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
The First Minister made quite a deal yesterday about the interconnected, whole-family approach that is required in order to help families, but there was no r...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
Mr Rennie might know that I am recused from issues to do with The Promise as my wife sits on the oversight board. However, I am sure that Shirley-Anne Somerv...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Con
The cabinet secretary talks about family provision. One of the family provisions that allow disabled people to go out is the provision of changing places toi...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
Mr Balfour raises an extremely valid point, and I recognise the challenge in this instance. He will also recognise the real challenges that the Scottish Gove...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I would like to make some progress. We know that that approach is making a substantial difference already, by saving families money and, importantly, allowi...
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I will, but I am mindful of time, Presiding Officer.
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Lab
The cabinet secretary will be aware that a survey that was conducted by Pregnant Then Screwed found that a quarter of mothers on maternity leave who are elig...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I can give you the time back for the intervention, cabinet secretary.
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I am happy to work with the member and, of course, with Natalie Don-Innes, the Minister for Children, Young People and the Pro...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Thank you, cabinet secretary. I advise members that we have a little time in hand, so I encourage members who have not yet pressed their request-to-speak b...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I thank the many organisations that provided useful briefings ahead of the debate. Yesterday, during the programme for government statement, the First Mini...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
The member mentioned that he was due to meet the Minister for Housing soon. I am sure that during that meeting, the minister will furnish him with the detail...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I will give Miles Briggs the time back.
Miles Briggs
Con
I welcome that, and I have been in constant discussion with the Minister for Housing. We also need to look at the new models that have not been taken forwa...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to conclude.
Miles Briggs
Con
Finally, I note that the programme for government was a missed opportunity to develop opportunities to end child poverty. We need to work across parties to d...
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
As always when we debate child poverty, I start by highlighting the consensus that—as we have already heard this afternoon—there is no more important mission...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Paul O’Kane
Lab
In a moment—I will just make this point. That is 260,000 children in total across Scotland, according to the most recent figures. They will go through the i...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I am listening to the member recount the challenges that the Scottish Government faces. I hope that he will also be mindful that the Scottish Government does...
Paul O’Kane
Lab
The cabinet secretary and I debated issues around child poverty five or six times in the chamber pre-election, and each time that we did so, I made it clear ...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Paul O’Kane
Lab
I think that I am now in my last minute, but I will take the intervention if I can have the time back, Presiding Officer.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
Yes, indeed.
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
Despite the circumstances that we are in with the finances, the Government’s programme is keeping 100,000 children out of poverty. I would say that that is a...
Paul O’Kane
Lab
It would be useful to understand how that figure has been arrived at, because the Deputy First Minister had trouble articulating it this morning on “Good Mor...