Response to the 2004 Comprehensive Spending Review

Time for government to shift up a gear
12.07.04

Concern that child poverty is slipping off the agenda

Responding to the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, which was announced in Parliament this afternoon, leading national children’s charity the Child Poverty Action Group said:

'Despite the Government’s progress in tackling child poverty to date, and encouraging announcements today such as new investment in social housing and child care, it is now time to shift up a gear if real, sustainable and long-term progress in tackling child poverty is to be achieved' said CPAG’s Chief Executive Kate Green

In the Comprehensive Spending Review, Gordon Brown announced pilot schemes in 500 areas where nursery provision for 2 year-olds will be provided. He added that by 2008 he expected there to be 120,000 more childcare places.

'There is no doubt that the Government has made progress towards its 20-year target to end child poverty. But today’s announcements reinforce the need to push child poverty higher up the political agenda.'

Quality and choice for public services

'The commitment to quality public services is welcome – quality is more important than choice. Parents do not want to have to shop around for decent schools and services, they want to know that there is a good school or children’s centre on their doorstep. Too often, poor public services are found in the poorest communities – choice must not become a privilege for the rich.'

New child poverty measures

'More available data is required before we can know whether the Government measures on child poverty will be effective. Measuring incomes remains fundamental, and to meet targets based on this, further real resources will have to be devoted to poorer families with children. To be credible, the proposed material deprivation measure published in the Public Service Agreement today must properly measure the persistent poverty in families who cannot afford essentials for their children’s development and wellbeing. We look forward to hearing more from the Government on this over the coming weeks.'

Commenting on the announcement of £525 million being given to the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, Kate Green added:

'Of course this money will make a difference on a local level, but the incomes of some of the poorest families in Britain remain too low, and the target to halve child poverty by 2010 cannot be met without year-on-year increases in investment in tax credits and child benefits. We are concerned that the job cuts announced for the Department for Work and Pensions and Inland Revenue may have a negative effect on some of the poorest families.'

Efficiency savings and job cuts

'Efficiency savings should not come at the expense of effectiveness. Care is needed to ensure job cuts do not worsen quality of service in the Department of Work and Pensions and Inland Revenue, which often already leaves much to be desired; and particularly to ensure that the sort of chaos seen with the implementation of the tax credits is not repeated.

'The Government has the opportunity to make child poverty a fundamental issue in the election expected next year; it is frustrating that child poverty was not mentioned at all today. It must continue to be bold, and put its foot on the accelerator to make child poverty in the UK a thing of the past', she said.

 

For more information contact:
Ashley Riley
Press Officer
Tel 020 7812 5216
Mobile 07811 324339
ariley@cpag.org.uk

Notes

• Gordon Brown delivered the 2004 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) in the House of Commons today at 3.30pm. Copies of the CSR are available at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk . The CSR sets out the governments spending commitments for the next three years.
• Since 1996/97 child poverty in Great Britain has fallen from 4.3 million in to 3.6 million in the latest year for which figures are available (2002/03). Current political commitments are to reduce child poverty by a quarter by 2004/05, by a half by 2010 and to be ended by 2020.
• Further announcements on specific Department for Work and Pensions plans on the measurement of child poverty will be announced in the next two weeks and CPAG will be commenting on them as they are announced.
• For a further briefing on specific issues contact the CPAG Press Office.