Swinney to set out plan for eradicating child poverty in Scotland

First Minister will promise 'swift progress and lasting solutions' on the Scottish Government's top priority.

John Swinney will set out his vision for eradicating child poverty across Scotland in a major speech on Wednesday.

The First Minister is set to outline how he intends to deliver progress on the Scottish Government’s top priority before MSPs vote on the Scottish Budget at Holyrood next month.

Ahead of the speech, Swinney said: “I am determined to make progress as swiftly as possible towards our goal of eradicating child poverty – including putting in place the systems needed to end Labour’s two-child cap.

“But I am under no illusions that we will be able to end child poverty in Scotland overnight. It will take strong, collective action in the long-term – and that is what my government will deliver in partnership with people and organisations working in our communities.

“I want us to both imagine and create a better Scotland – because there is nothing wrong with Scotland that can’t be fixed by what is right with Scotland.”

The Scottish Government’s tax and spending plans are almost certain to pass February’s vote, following Scottish Labour’s decision to abstain on the Budget Bill.

Earlier this month, Anas Sarwar said his party will actively back the Budget if ministers agreed to bring forward plans to mitigate the two-child benefit cap by April of this year as opposed to the planned rollout in 2026.

Sarwar said: “At this current stage, we will abstain from this budget, because this budget is going to pass anyway.

“It has the votes of another political party, at least one other opposition political party.

“So we are not going to vote against this budget. We will abstain from this budget.”

The Scottish Budget proposes to effectively scrap the benefit cap – which means parents can only claim some benefits for their first two children, with no payments made for any subsequent additions to their family – by mitigating the policy north of the border.

But Swinney has previously insisted such a change “practically cannot be done” by this April.

He said ministers had to make the financial provision for the policy – which experts have said will cost £155m in 2026-27 before rising to £198m by 2029-30 – as well as put the necessary systems in place for the change.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay says his party is the only one standing for change.

He said: “Labour has admitted they no longer stand for change and it’s clear why – Sir Keir Starmer has broken countless promises within a year of gaining office.

“Anas Sarwar won’t stand up to Sir Keir Starmer and he looks even more spineless when it comes to John Swinney.

“Labour votes will mean the SNP budget passes, so no wonder they have dropped the ‘change’ slogan.”

STV News is now on WhatsApp

Get all the latest news from around the country

Follow STV News
Follow STV News on WhatsApp

Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country

WhatsApp channel QR Code