Church leader criticises Coalition over delays to child poverty strategy

The Convenor of the Kirk’s Church and Society Council, the Rev Ian Galloway, criticised the Coalition for delays to the release of the strategy.

The strategy was supposed to be out last week but is expected to be released today instead.

The Government is obligated under the Child Poverty Act to reduce the number of children living in relative poverty from its present level of 22% to 10% within the decade.

The strategy will set out how the Government intends to reach this target.

Rev Galloway urged the Government not to wane on its commitment to tackling child poverty.

He said: “The Government has assured MPs that the strategy will be published before the recess. It is not just the date of release that the Government is dragging its heels on.

"The 2010 Act requires a commission to be set up, whose role includes giving advice on the writing of the UK strategy.

“I hope that this isn’t an indication of this issue dropping further down the list of priorities of our government.

“Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats supported the Child Poverty Act when they were in opposition, so what is causing this reticence to comply now?

“To take the challenge of tackling child poverty in this country seriously, the UK Government needs to be serious about implementing this law.”