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Child Poverty in Scotland

I am sure the hon. Gentleman is well aware that since 1997 the Government, through their positive approach, have taken millions of people, including children, out of poverty. Three million more people are employed. I know that hon. Members on the Opposition Benches—the Conservatives and the Scottish national party—are obsessed with the 10p tax rate, but in his letter to the Chairman of the Treasury Committee, the Chancellor confirmed that all those who will be disadvantaged because of the abolition of the 10p tax rate will be compensated. Our inquiry found that parents can be prevented from taking a job because they cannot find affordable or suitable local child care. The challenge is even greater for parents of disabled children. It also found that 80 per cent. of mothers with a disabled child are unemployed, and that disabled children are twice as likely to be in poverty as non-disabled children. Disabled people experience poverty of income, choice and opportunity. The Scottish Government should do more to ensure that resources reach disabled families, who are disproportionately affected by poverty. That is a massive issue, which I hope the Scottish nationalists will pass on to the Scottish Government so that the money allocated for families of the disabled reaches the most needy in our communities.