Hansard

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...