Hansard

The Deputy Convener SNP

Our next item of business is an evidence session on the recently published UK child poverty strategy, “Our Children, Our Future—Tackling Child Poverty.” Bef...

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

Thank you very much, and good morning, convener. Eradicating child poverty is the Scottish Government’s top priority and a national mission for us all, and I...

The Deputy Convener SNP

Thank you, cabinet secretary. There was a lot in that opening statement and I will begin with the positives. As you indicated, the rate of child poverty in S...

Shirley-Anne Somerville

We were certainly keen to work with the new UK Government on the issue. I appreciated that the UK Government needed some private space within the task force ...

The Deputy Convener SNP

You have described the engagement that did happen as being “transactional” but it is good that engagement took place. Did that happen at both ministerial and...

Shirley-Anne Somerville

As I said in my opening remarks, we had ministerial discussions. However, I would not call them discussions because we provided them with information and ide...

The Deputy Convener SNP

I will roll my next two questions into one because I know that my colleagues wish to come in. The Scottish Government advocated some policies to the UK Gover...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

The aspect that we warmly welcome is the abolition of the two-child limit. We said all along that it would be much better to do that at source rather than ha...

The Deputy Convener SNP

Was no explanation given as to why the conversations with the UK Government ended?

Shirley-Anne Somerville

There was a feeling that it wished to move to a bilateral rather than a four-nations process, but the bilateral process did not happen.

The Deputy Convener SNP

I will follow up on the two-child limit later, so I will not explore that further.

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

Good morning, cabinet secretary. It is unfortunate that the UK Government is not at the meeting because the letter, which I understand was received late last...

Shirley-Anne Somerville

We are determined to meet our target in 2030. I recognise that the interim target was not met. It has been more challenging for the Scottish Government to me...

Claire Baker Lab

You have said that the scrapping of the two-child cap will make a difference. I am trying to understand the figures from the Scottish strategy. I do not know...

Shirley-Anne Somerville

If you will forgive me, I am not aware of the part of the SPICe briefing that you are referring to, but we can certainly provide something in writing that wi...

Claire Baker Lab

That would be helpful. I am trying to understand the impact of the Scottish Government’s policies. If the two-child cap were to remain in place, how many chi...

Shirley-Anne Somerville

Where we are at the moment—

The Deputy Convener SNP

Sorry to cut across you. You should of course answer that question, and I apologise to Claire Baker, but we are all aware of the questions that other members...

Shirley-Anne Somerville

On the impact modelling aspects, because we were not aware of what was in the strategy until it was published, Scottish Government officials have not been ab...

The Deputy Convener SNP

I apologise for cutting across you, Ms Baker. I do not like doing that.

Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Con

Good morning. How will the Scottish Government spend the funds that it had set aside to mitigate the two-child limit and that are now freed up? It would be g...

Shirley-Anne Somerville

The First Minister has made it very clear that the funding will be used for further child poverty measures. He made that commitment some time ago and, as I m...

Alexander Stewart Con

You have identified that demand may increase for certain benefits in Scotland for which funding has already been set aside, so you have opportunities and opt...

Shirley-Anne Somerville

The First Minister has made it very clear that the money that will be saved from no longer mitigating the limit will be spent on child poverty measures, and ...

Alexander Stewart Con

Thank you.

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Ind) Ind

To show my ignorance in regard to financial things, is the leftover money that you now have a one-off annual thing, or do you see that continuing in the next...

Shirley-Anne Somerville

It is recurring. We would have continued to mitigate against the two-child limit for as long as it was in place, so it is a recurring amount of money.

Jeremy Balfour Ind

You obviously get lots of demands on how you spend your budget. A couple of weeks ago I was at a food bank here in Edinburgh, and the people there said to me...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

You raise a very important point about the competing demands within the budget. The First Minister has made it very clear that the money would be used for ch...

Jeremy Balfour Ind

Thank you, convener.