Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Charlie Elphicke Excerpts
Tuesday 2nd September 2014

(10 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Priti Patel Portrait Priti Patel
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The hon. Gentleman will know that the Government are committed to ending child poverty by 2020. Under this Government, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor has already said, child poverty has fallen by more than 300,000 since 2010. The best route out of poverty is work and I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will support that route.

Charlie Elphicke Portrait Charlie Elphicke (Dover) (Con)
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I congratulate the Minister on her debut at the Dispatch Box. She has referred to child poverty falling under this Government. Will she confirm that it rose under the previous Labour Government in the previous Parliament?

Priti Patel Portrait Priti Patel
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I thank my hon. Friend for his warm remarks. He is absolutely right. It is this Government who have gone out of their way to focus on a child poverty strategy, reducing the numbers, and that is something of which we are proud.