“We need to do more” – Blair responds to charity’s child poverty plea
26.01.06

The Prime Minister has recognised that his Government “needs to do more” to eradicate child poverty, following a plea by a leading charity.

Mr Blair was responding to a letter from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), personally delivered to him last month by children from across the country. Forty years after CPAG’s founding members delivered a letter to the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson, the charity updated its plea for the current occupant of 10 Downing Street.

In response Mr Blair wrote this week:

“Thank you for your letter highlighting child poverty in our country and for the chance to meet members of CPAG personally just before Christmas… I can promise that we share your ambition to make child poverty history in our country. It is why we have publicly said we want to halve child poverty by 2010 and to eradicate it completely by 2020.

“You are right to say that meeting these targets won’t be easy. They will need sustained commitment and determined action. But there are, as well, signs of real progress. We are, for example, broadly on track to meet our first goal of reducing the number of children in low-income households by at least a quarter by 2004/05.

“Central to this reduction is the support delivered directly to families through the Child Tax Credit and increased Child Benefit – and the expanded opportunities and support for parents to work. I recognise that we need to do more. And I promise we will.”

Kate Green, Chief Executive of CPAG, said: “Having made a pledge to end child poverty, we’re pleased that the Prime Minister recognises the scale of the challenge that remains. He is right to say that much more needs to be done and we will be making sure he sticks to that promise.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Mr Blair also paid tribute to the charity’s work and its “fantastic efforts to secure a better deal for all our children”. He wrote: “You can be immensely proud of the role that the Child Poverty Action Group has played over decades in keeping this crucial issue high on the agenda… I also know how valued the research, expertise and advice of CPAG is within Government as we work to meet our shared goal that no child grows up in poverty in our country.”

2. Pictures are available on request.

3. PDF of the Prime Minister's letter (253 KB PDF file)

For further information please contact:
Alex Belardinelli
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
abelardinelli@cpag.org.uk