Child Poverty

Baroness Massey of Darwen Excerpts

Tuesday 14th May 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Flight]

My Lords—

[Baroness Massey of Darwen]

My Lords—

[Lord Hill of Oareford]

We have just had a Labour question, so it is this side.

[Lord Freud]

Yes, my Lords, there is a lot of variation around the country on child poverty. Again, I go back to the UNICEF report, which came out recently and which I found fascinating. Finland, which spends only 2.5% of its GNP on children and families, comes out very near the top. One thing that is so special about Finland is the emphasis that it puts on early years education, which seems to have a big impact there. We have to get to the causes of poverty and not just look at the pure measure.

[Baroness Massey of Darwen]

My Lords, is the Minister aware, having quoted the recent UNICEF report, that other recent reports, including from UNICEF, concluded that under the last Government child well-being increased substantially? It is very worrying that more recent reports and evidence now suggest that, under this Government, child deprivation is increasing dramatically. Is it not a concern to him that jeopardising the chances of children is a serious matter?