AN MSP’s year has some regular milestones.
The Programme for Government every September; the process of negotiating the annual Budget either side of Christmas; and the recess periods when MSPs finish their work in the chamber and in committees, but which offer us more time to get out visiting constituents and organisations in the areas we represent.
READ MORE: Theresa May declares 'end to austerity' amid fierce attack on Jeremy Corbyn
Another such milestone for myself as Green spokesperson for social security, children and young people is the publication of poverty statistics. Like figures on children’s attainment, waiting times for treatment and air pollution, these are a crucial part of Scotland’s report card. They tell us how well we are doing as country and how much more we have to do.
For the past few years, these figures have both offered cause for some cautious optimism and sent a clear signal that we must do more to tackle poverty in Scotland.
The rate of absolute poverty for the whole population has continued to fall, albeit by a much slower rate than previously. Relative poverty, however, which measures whether someone has access to the resources needed to meet a socially acceptable standard of living, has been rising.
The latest figures show that, once housing costs are taken into account, 19% of the population overall and 24% of children are not able to live the type of life that many of us enjoy. This was underlined this week by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, whose new Child Poverty in Scotland 2018 report reminded us that 230,000 children experience relative poverty in this country.
The JRF report reminded us that most children experiencing relative poverty have at least one parent in work. That’s why the economic transformation that Greens have been calling for is so necessary. We need to boost the National Living Wage so it is a true living wage; tackle the unacceptable gender pay gap; encourage more flexible workplace policies; and crack down on exploitative employment contracts. Projections for future developments are also concerning. A Landman Economics analysis carried out for the Scottish Government predicts that 38% of Scots children will be experiencing relative poverty by the 2030s, even taking into account the Scottish Government’s plans for more generous social security entitlements, such as the new Best Start Grant.
This would mean that the new legal targets for child poverty reduction set by the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act would be missed by quite some considerable distance. That’s why Challenge Poverty Week, running until Monday, is so important. It aims to remind us all how of a problem poverty is in our society and what each and every one of us can do about it.
Challenge Poverty Week runs until Monday
As part of the week, NHS Health Scotland has published public health intelligence on the scale, causes and impact of child poverty, including the impact of tax and benefit policies on health inequalities.
It recommends significant increases to a range of devolved and reserved benefits. The report goes on to reveal that universal basic income, long-championed by Greens, would be the most cost-effective way of reducing premature deaths and narrowing health inequalities.
The new powers the Scottish Parliament has allow us to make a start on this. While we cannot yet introduce a basic income, we can and should increase both devolved and reserved benefits, including topping up child benefit to lift 30,000 children out of poverty.
Helping people to access the support they are entitled to is also crucial, as benefit increases will do people no good at all if they are not aware of their entitlements.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission predicts that just 58% of families will be claiming the pregnancy and baby element of the new Scottish Best Start Grant by 2022. This would be an increase on the current UK version, but it would still mean that 42% of families would not be claiming what they are entitled to.
This is why it is so crucial that, with Greens having secured a commitment to do so, the Scottish Government rolls out nationwide schemes similar to Glasgow’s Healthier, Wealthier Children, in which midwives and health visitors refer new parents to services that help them boost their household income.
Affordable credit is also vital. We need to wrench lending to those most in need out of the hands of predatory lenders. Local credit unions, such as the one in Clydebank visited by my colleague Ross Greer on Monday can help play a part.
There is a huge task ahead of us. If we are to have the kind of society most of us would want to live in – where everyone has a fair chance in life and all of us have access to a good diet; a safe, warm home; a high-quality education and good career opportunities – we must tackle poverty, and tackle it at source.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel