Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alex Cunningham and Mims Davies

Monday 18th December 2023 Commons Chamber

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

12. Whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of UNICEF’s report entitled “Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth”.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mims Davies)]

The overall number of children in absolute poverty after housing costs remained stable between 2020-21 and 2021-22. The latest statistics show that in 2021-22 there were 400,000 fewer children in absolute poverty, after housing costs, than in 2009-10. The Government continue to provide comprehensive support to help people find, progress in and thrive in work, recognising that that has to be sustainable in tackling poverty.

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

A couple of weeks ago, when I asked the Prime Minister why 34% of children in Stockton North live in poverty, he claimed that child poverty was down. But even if we rely on his and his Government’s unique measuring tool, child poverty is still up, considerably, across every part of the north-east under his watch. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 1 million British children have suffered destitution in the past year. When will the Prime Minister and his Ministers stop pretending that they care and make way for a Labour Government who will sort out the mess that shames the Tories?

[Mims Davies]

The Government are determined to ensure that all children, wherever they come from, have the best start in life. We are committed to supporting families and helping them into work. The full uprating, this year and last, is the signal.