[Today's News] from [The Guardian]
Child poverty reduction halted by recession
• Labour pledge to halve child poverty will be 'very difficult' to meet
• Number below the breadline remains at 2.9 million
Larry Elliott
Economics editor
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 7 May 2009 13.55 BST
Article history
The number of children living below the breadline remained stuck at 2.9 million last year as the government's attempt to reduce poverty stalled, according to official figures released today.
Amid criticism from campaigners for the lack of progress, ministers admitted that it would now be "very difficult" for Labour to meet its objective of halving by 2010 the number of youngsters living in households where the income was less than 60% of the national median.
Tony Blair pledged in 1999 that Britain would eradicate child poverty within a generation and set an interim target of halving the total – then 3.4 million – by 2010.
Figures released by the Department of Work and Pensions today show that after dropping by 700,000 over the next five years to 2004-05 the number of children living in poverty has since risen by 200,000.
The DWP said that while the number of children living in poverty in the year to 2007-08 had remained the same, the number of adults slipping below the poverty line had increased by 200,000. Income inequality has widened, the DWP added.
Children's minister Beverley Hughes said that in the current economic climate, "meeting the 2010 target is very difficult. It is very difficult to model the impact of the recession on child poverty."
The government nevertheless remained, "absolutely committed" to the 2020 target.
"We knew from the disappointing figures in 2006/7 that we were unlikely to see reductions in the child poverty figures for 07/08 but I'm pleased the child poverty rates have remained broadly stable."
The shadow work and pensions secretary, Theresa May, said: "Gordon Brown's pledge to halve child poverty by 2010 is just one of countless Labour promises that lies in tatters.
"It is a tragedy that the number of children falling into the poverty cycle is continuing to rise.
Colette Marshall, UK Director of Save the Children, said: "The government has clearly broken its promise to lift up to 3 million children out of poverty in the UK. It is outrageous that so many children continue to miss out on the basic necessities most children take for granted. Today's figures show that the government will fall well short of its 2010 target to halve the numbers of children living in poverty.
"In 2001 Gordon Brown referred to child poverty as a 'scar on Britain's soul'. This scar is taking a very long time to heal."
Head of Policy for Child Poverty Action Group, Dr Paul Dornan, said the government's "failure to make progress" was, deplorable.
"You don't eradicate child poverty by doing nothing, but we've just had a 'do nothing' budget for the poorest children. It was right to give urgent support to jobseekers, but there was little in the budget to build a fairer Britain. The disgraceful decision to give the poorest families less than the cost of a pint of milk for each child to help them survive the recession was a kick in the teeth."
Child poverty reduction halted by recession
• Labour pledge to halve child poverty will be 'very difficult' to meet
• Number below the breadline remains at 2.9 million
Larry Elliott
Economics editor
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 7 May 2009 13.55 BST
Article history
The number of children living below the breadline remained stuck at 2.9 million last year as the government's attempt to reduce poverty stalled, according to official figures released today.
Amid criticism from campaigners for the lack of progress, ministers admitted that it would now be "very difficult" for Labour to meet its objective of halving by 2010 the number of youngsters living in households where the income was less than 60% of the national median.
Tony Blair pledged in 1999 that Britain would eradicate child poverty within a generation and set an interim target of halving the total – then 3.4 million – by 2010.
Figures released by the Department of Work and Pensions today show that after dropping by 700,000 over the next five years to 2004-05 the number of children living in poverty has since risen by 200,000.
The DWP said that while the number of children living in poverty in the year to 2007-08 had remained the same, the number of adults slipping below the poverty line had increased by 200,000. Income inequality has widened, the DWP added.
Children's minister Beverley Hughes said that in the current economic climate, "meeting the 2010 target is very difficult. It is very difficult to model the impact of the recession on child poverty."
The government nevertheless remained, "absolutely committed" to the 2020 target.
"We knew from the disappointing figures in 2006/7 that we were unlikely to see reductions in the child poverty figures for 07/08 but I'm pleased the child poverty rates have remained broadly stable."
The shadow work and pensions secretary, Theresa May, said: "Gordon Brown's pledge to halve child poverty by 2010 is just one of countless Labour promises that lies in tatters.
"It is a tragedy that the number of children falling into the poverty cycle is continuing to rise.
Colette Marshall, UK Director of Save the Children, said: "The government has clearly broken its promise to lift up to 3 million children out of poverty in the UK. It is outrageous that so many children continue to miss out on the basic necessities most children take for granted. Today's figures show that the government will fall well short of its 2010 target to halve the numbers of children living in poverty.
"In 2001 Gordon Brown referred to child poverty as a 'scar on Britain's soul'. This scar is taking a very long time to heal."
Head of Policy for Child Poverty Action Group, Dr Paul Dornan, said the government's "failure to make progress" was, deplorable.
"You don't eradicate child poverty by doing nothing, but we've just had a 'do nothing' budget for the poorest children. It was right to give urgent support to jobseekers, but there was little in the budget to build a fairer Britain. The disgraceful decision to give the poorest families less than the cost of a pint of milk for each child to help them survive the recession was a kick in the teeth."
※コメント投稿者のブログIDはブログ作成者のみに通知されます