Committee
Social Justice and Social Security Committee 18 December 2025
18 Dec 2025 · S6 · Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Item of business
United Kingdom Child Poverty Strategy
Cabinet secretary, we are approaching the end of our evidence session, but I might just finish off where we started, which was on the on-going dialogue with the UK Government. For whatever reason, that appeared to dry up and the bilateral discussions did not happen.
What is your preference, cabinet secretary? Is it for a four-nation approach to tackling child poverty, so that we can draw on the experience of Wales and Northern Ireland, share best practice and have open and honest discussions about what various Governments think works and does not work? If there are disagreements, that is okay, but it is important to be clear about your preferred approach. Is it about sharing best practice and continuing that conversation, or was it the bilateral approach suggested by the UK Government that did not happen in the end? What would you like to see happen, cabinet secretary?
In the same item of business
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.