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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Labour must do more to help poor working families says AM
January 14, 2008 12:00 AM
Welsh Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Social Justice Peter Black, has today spoken out in the light of the findings of a think tank report on child poverty.
The report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) shows that there has been no change in the numbers of children from poor working families living in poverty since Labour took power in 1997.
"Labour set themselves the goal of halving child poverty in the UK by 2010, and progress has undoubtedly been made," said Mr. Black. "However, this target will not be met unless something is done to help the 'forgotten' children who are in families with at least one working parent."
"Here in Wales we have the highest proportion of children in poverty in the UK at 170,000. The IPPR report suggests that half of those children live in a working household.
"Labour must do more. Better housing, more employment support, and a more stable and effective benefits system are essential.
"In addition, Labour needs to listen to those experts like the IPPR and the Child Poverty Action Group who advocate increasing the minimum wage in line with average earnings growth and changing the Tax Credit system to make it worthwhile for the second parent in a two adult family to work.
"For too many of the working poor, work itself acts as a poverty trap as benefits are lost or reduced."
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