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Children: Poverty

Asked by Elaine StewartLabourScotland OfficeTabled Answered 14 January 2026UIN 907176

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle child poverty in Scotland.

Answered by Mr Douglas Alexander

Poverty scars the lives and life chances of our children.

Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the very best start in life.

In December, we set out our ambitious and comprehensive Child Poverty Strategy. It sets out the steps we are taking to reduce child poverty in the short-term, as well as putting in place the building blocks we need to create long-term change across the UK. Our decision to lift the two-child cap alone will benefit 95,000 Scottish children.

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