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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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Increase in child poverty shows Labour's lack of commitment to fairness says AM
June 18, 2008 12:00 AM
The Welsh Liberal Democrat Social Justice Spokesperson, Peter Black has described the news that the number of children living in poverty has risen for the second year running as 'deeply disappointing'..
Mr Black said: "Labour trumpeted the praiseworthy target of halving child poverty in this country by 2010. However, 100,000 more children UK-wide are living in poverty than was the case last year. Here in Wales, where we already start behind the rest of the home nations in poverty rates, this is particularly bad news. Children in homes afflicted by poverty are more prone to ill-health, bad housing conditions, and not achieving their full potential in educational terms. We cannot afford such a waste of our young people.
"We all understand that times are hard, even for governments. However, money can always be found for those items that Labour wants very much to do, like the illegal Iraq war or their ridiculous and unworkable ID card and National Identity Database schemes. That is why a failure to hit their own child poverty target would not be down to higher oil prices, or the credit crunch but to a lack of political will on Labour's part. "
Ends
Note for Editors: Figures published by the Office for National Statistics on June 10, revealed that, in 2006/07, 2.9 million children were living in poverty - a rise of 100,000 on the previous year.
The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies has calculated that the government would need to spend an extra £2.8bn a year by 2010/11 to give itself a 50-50 chance of meeting the 2010 target.
Child Poverty Action Group chief executive Kate Green urged ministers not to take a holiday from their commitments. She said, 'Every year progress must be planned, invested in and achieved. And every year we must act to end the inequality that is blighting Britain and turning us into a divided nation.'
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