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Dr Bill Wilson, MSP for the West of Scotland, today lodged a Parliamentary Motion bringing attention to a recent report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimating that child poverty costs the UK £25 billion a year and called on the UK government to investigate methods of addressing this issue.
Expanding on the subject, he said, “As shown by this report, child poverty is not only morally deplorable but it is costing the UK economy dearly each year. It demands our immediate attention for both these reasons.
“We must explore methods of redistributing wealth in order to remedy the debilitating effects of child poverty.”
Dr. Wilson commended the Scottish Government for already taking steps to address poverty. Specifically, he noted the Government’s efforts to modernise local taxation so that it relates to an individual’s ability to pay.
In addition to these attempts made by the Scottish Government, Dr. Wilson proposed raising extra funds to fight poverty by ending loopholes that allow the very wealthy to evade taxation. “It is absurd to think that the wealthy of our society should be allowed to avoid taxation while so many children remain impoverished,” he said. “The costs—both social and economic—are too great to remain inactive for any longer.”
Notes to Editors
1. Full Text of Motion
Date of Lodging: 29 October 2008
Short Title: The Costs of Child Poverty in the UK
S3M-02787 Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): That the Parliament notes the report published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on 23 October 2008 that estimated that child poverty costs the United Kingdom at least £25 billion a year; notes the unacceptable costs of poverty, both to the UK Exchequer and to the victims of poverty; asserts that poverty, especially child poverty, is a pressing and pertinent issue in the UK and Scotland; considers that the only way to tackle poverty is to redistribute wealth; commends the Scottish Government for attempting to modernise local taxation and relate said taxation to an individual’s ability to pay; calls on the UK Government to investigate methods of redistributing wealth, and notes that these methods could include a citizens’ income and should include the raising of extra funds to fight poverty by ending loopholes that allow the very wealthy to evade taxation.
2. Joseph Rowntree Foundation report
http://www.jrf.org.uk/pressroom/releases/231008.asp
Author : Bill Wilson MSP
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