This House of Lords Library Briefing provides information about the work of the House of Lords Social Mobility Committee; its conclusions and recommendations; the Government’s response; and a summary of the debate held in the House of Lords.

This House of Lords Library Briefing provides information about the work of the House of Lords Social Mobility Committee; its conclusions and recommendations; the Government’s response; and a summary of the debate held in the House of Lords.

This House of Lords Library briefing has been prepared ahead of a debate that is scheduled to take place in the House on 14 July 2016 on the following motion: “[...] that this House takes note of the case for tackling the causes of poverty in the United Kingdom”.

This House of Lords Library briefing has been prepared ahead of a debate that is scheduled to take place in the House on 14 July 2016 on the following motion: “[...] that this House takes note of the case for tackling the causes of poverty in the United Kingdom”.

Letter dated 01/04/2011 from Sarah Teather MP to Kerry McCarthy MP regarding child poverty. 1 p.

Letter dated 01/04/2011 from Sarah Teather MP to Kerry McCarthy MP regarding child poverty. 1 p.

Committee stage twenty-sixth sitting. Clauses 129 to 133 agreed to. Schedule 13 agreed to, with amendments. Clauses 134 to 137 agreed to, one with amendments. New clauses considered. Bill, as amended, reported.

Committee stage twenty-sixth sitting. Clauses 129 to 133 agreed to. Schedule 13 agreed to, with amendments. Clauses 134 to 137 agreed to, one with amendments. New clauses considered. Bill, as amended, reported.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has had discussions with Ministers in the (a) Scottish Government, (b) Welsh Assembly Government and (c) Northern Ireland Executive on the members they propose to appoint to the Child Poverty Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has had discussions with Ministers in the (a) Scottish Government, (b) Welsh Assembly Government and (c) Northern Ireland Executive on the members they propose to appoint to the Child Poverty Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made in establishing a Child Poverty Commission under the provisions of the Child Poverty Act 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made in establishing a Child Poverty Commission under the provisions of the Child Poverty Act 2010.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made in establishing and appointing members of the Child Poverty Commission under the provisions of the Child Poverty Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made in establishing and appointing members of the Child Poverty Commission under the provisions of the Child Poverty Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they propose to establish the child poverty commission.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they propose to establish the child poverty commission.

10: Schedule 1, page 18, line 18, leave out from beginning to "appoint" and insert "The Commission may"

10: Schedule 1, page 18, line 18, leave out from beginning to "appoint" and insert "The Commission may"

39: Clause 17, page 10, leave out lines 21 and 22 40: Clause 17, page 10, line 33, leave out subsection (3) Amendments 39 and 40 agreed. Clause 20 : Co-operation to reduce child poverty in local area Amendment 41 Clause 20 : Co-operation to reduce child poverty in local...

39: Clause 17, page 10, leave out lines 21 and 22 40: Clause 17, page 10, line 33, leave out subsection (3) Amendments 39 and 40 agreed. Clause 20 : Co-operation to reduce child poverty in local area Amendment 41 Clause 20 : Co-operation to reduce child poverty in local...

My Lords, I am pleased that we have been able to reassure the noble Lord, Lord Freud, at least on some aspects of the Bill during the course of our deliberations. I am sorry that I am not able to accommodate him in respect of this amendment. The noble Lord...

My Lords, I am pleased that we have been able to reassure the noble Lord, Lord Freud, at least on some aspects of the Bill during the course of our deliberations. I am sorry that I am not able to accommodate him in respect of this amendment. The noble Lord...

30: Clause 12, page 8, line 21, after "fit," insert— "( ) must consult such parents, and organisations working with or representing parents, as the devolved administration thinks fit," Amendment 30 agreed. Clause 13 : Reports by Secretary of State Clause 13 : Reports by Secretary of State Amendment 31...

30: Clause 12, page 8, line 21, after "fit," insert— "( ) must consult such parents, and organisations working with or representing parents, as the devolved administration thinks fit," Amendment 30 agreed. Clause 13 : Reports by Secretary of State Clause 13 : Reports by Secretary of State Amendment 31...

I thank the Minister for that clarification. Of course there is flexibility in adding on further partners, but the prescriptive nature of the partners that must be co-operated with is a top-down requirement that will just add to the costs of compliance and, I suspect, do very little to alleviate...

I thank the Minister for that clarification. Of course there is flexibility in adding on further partners, but the prescriptive nature of the partners that must be co-operated with is a top-down requirement that will just add to the costs of compliance and, I suspect, do very little to alleviate...

My Lords, I take issue with the idea which the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, put forward that this was essentially an impertinent and intrusive set of requirements from the state on individual parents and others. One can collect such survey data in exactly the same way as one can collect...

My Lords, I take issue with the idea which the noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, put forward that this was essentially an impertinent and intrusive set of requirements from the state on individual parents and others. One can collect such survey data in exactly the same way as one can collect...

My Lords, it is my role in life to try and comfort the noble Lord, Lord Freud. I thank him for his amendment and noble Lords who have joined in this debate. As he recognised, the themes raised by the amendment were debated at great length in Grand Committee. I...

My Lords, it is my role in life to try and comfort the noble Lord, Lord Freud. I thank him for his amendment and noble Lords who have joined in this debate. As he recognised, the themes raised by the amendment were debated at great length in Grand Committee. I...

My Lords, I support the amendment. The noble Lord, Lord Freud, has made a helpful adjustment to the Bill. I hear what has been said and understand the concerns. I am reminded of the UNICEF report, published I think in 2006, which looked at the 26 developed countries, and in...

My Lords, I support the amendment. The noble Lord, Lord Freud, has made a helpful adjustment to the Bill. I hear what has been said and understand the concerns. I am reminded of the UNICEF report, published I think in 2006, which looked at the 26 developed countries, and in...

My Lords, I do not want to try to follow that. The noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, has got a lot off her chest there, and I agree with most of it. I cling to where we can find common ground with the noble Lord—we discussed this at some length in...

My Lords, I do not want to try to follow that. The noble Baroness, Lady Hollis, has got a lot off her chest there, and I agree with most of it. I cling to where we can find common ground with the noble Lord—we discussed this at some length in...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Freud, and I have a lot in common on this amendment. I, too, would like to see children brought up in families that are stable, steady, long lasting and loving. We could discuss whether that is called marriage or cohabitation. I, too, want to...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Freud, and I have a lot in common on this amendment. I, too, would like to see children brought up in families that are stable, steady, long lasting and loving. We could discuss whether that is called marriage or cohabitation. I, too, want to...

My Lords, this is our central amendment to the Bill. It reflects what seems to be a genuine difference in approach between the Government and us over the Bill—that is, how best to tackle the problem of child poverty. Simply put, there are two approaches. We can transfer income until...

My Lords, this is our central amendment to the Bill. It reflects what seems to be a genuine difference in approach between the Government and us over the Bill—that is, how best to tackle the problem of child poverty. Simply put, there are two approaches. We can transfer income until...