Ministers attend London summit to address child poverty

Children’s Minister, Beverley Hughes, Financial Secretary, Stephen Timms, Minister for London, Tony McNulty, Mayor of London, Boris Johnson and London Councils’ Chairman Councillor Merrick Cockell will meet today to discuss the issue of child poverty in London and to announce a joint target to raise the number of parents in employment by three percent by 2013.

The Ministers and Mayor will sit down with London Councillors and business leaders in a closed meeting chaired by Kate Green from the London Child Poverty Commission to discuss more ways to work together to help bring an end to child poverty in the capital in line with the Government’s target of eradicating national child poverty by 2020.

As part of the plans for the capital, which has the highest child poverty rate in the country with 31% of children living in poverty, Ministers introduced the London Child Poverty Pledge.

Ending Child Poverty in London will require a contribution from a wide range of organisations – including local authorities, public services and charities. The Pledge asks these organisations to do more to tackle child poverty by improving the services they provide for poor families, and ensuring their employment practices support parents to enter, stay and progress in work. This will begin to generate the widespread commitment and action required to meet the challenging target of ending child poverty.

At the morning summit, Beverley Hughes, Stephen Timms and Tony McNulty will sign the Pledge, highlighting the Government’s continued commitment to ending child poverty.

Work for parents who can, remains the best route out of poverty, particularly in London where the persistent rate of child poverty is driven by a low level of parental employment. The Government is committed to supporting them to find work, stay in work and progress so that they can build a sustainable future for their families.

Children’s Minister, Beverley Hughes said:

“Child poverty in the UK more than doubled during the 1980’s and 1990’s and we are still dealing with that legacy which is why ending child poverty has to be everyone’s business. This Government is committed to improving the lives of children and young people right across Britain and we are making substantial progress.  Since 1998/99 child poverty in inner London has fallen by 8%, and with the help from businesses and organisations across the capital we can reduce this further, faster.”

Minister for London, Tony McNulty said:

“The challenge set out – to end child poverty in London – is one that requires the commitment of everyone – central Government, public services, local government, charities and communities. Signing the London Child Poverty Pledge and committing to raising the level of parental employment in London is a massive step forward in tackling this challenge.”

Financial Secretary, Stephen Timms said:

“Tackling child poverty is very important and it needs to be everybody's business. Only through working together can child poverty be eradicated. Helping parents into work is the most effective way to tackle child poverty and supporting parents into work is a real priority for London."

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said:

"Child poverty is a curse.  It blights the lives of the most innocent and vulnerable in society, and it's a terrible indictment of modern Britain that it still exists.  We all have a part to play here, and however tough the economic climate, we cannot compromise on this agenda. I raised the London Living Wage because families cannot survive in London on poverty pay. 

I'm working with the boroughs to create 50,000 extra affordable homes, and I'll be pushing for those to be suitable for couples with children.  And I'm delighted to confirm today that my statutory Deputy Mayor - Richard Barnes - will be given an overview of this agenda to champion the cause of impoverished London kids at every opportunity.  But the main responsibility lies with central government, and I urge them today to follow through their commitments to address this issue with the clarity, and urgency that it demands.”

London Councils’ Chairman Councillor Merrick Cockell said:

“While we can talk a great deal about tackling child poverty, signing the London Child Poverty Pledge is so important because it sets out exactly what we, as employers and service providers, can do to make a difference. London Councils will work closely with our partners in government, business and the voluntary and community sector to support as many organisations as possible to sign the pledge.”

The summit precedes a conference for public service providers, charities and local authorities which will provide an opportunity for signatories to the Pledge to share and learn from good practice, and to discuss how to deliver the different aspects of the Pledge.

Tony McNulty will chair the conference with Beverley Hughes, Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London and Cllr Clyde Loakes, Leader of Waltham Forest, giving speeches.  Speeches will be followed by workshops and facilitated discussions on delivering different aspects of the pledge.

Notes

• The Child Poverty Unit is a taskforce made up of representatives from the Department of Children Schools and Family, the Department for Work and Pensions and Her Majesty’s Treasury.
• The London Child Poverty Target: To improve progress towards ending child poverty by 2020, we will ensure that the parental employment rate in London rises by more than three percentage points by 2013. To achieve that target and support working families, we will make significant improvements to:
  • The maternal part time employment rate
  • The take up of Child Tax Credits by eligible working families,
  • The use of formal childcare, measured through the number of families benefiting from the childcare element of Working Tax Credit
• The London Child Poverty Summit will be held on 19 November 2008 at the Golden Lanes Children’s Centre, Whitecross Street, London, EC1Y 8JA.
• The lone parent employment rate in London has risen from 39.1 per cent in 1999 to 45.3 per cent in 2008. The employment rate for partnered parents has risen from 73.4 per cent to 74.8 per cent.
• Supporting quotes from other participants:
  • Kate Green, Vice Chair, London Child Poverty Commission said: ““The London Child Poverty Commission is delighted the Government has taken on board many of the recommendations put forward in the Commission’s final report. Today we are also delighted to see all the major players involved in tackling child poverty in the capital, joining together to take forward actions to ensure that we provide the best possible start in life for all London’s children.”  
  • Councillor James Kempton, Leader of Islington Council and a London Child Poverty Commissioner, said: “The boroughs see at first hand the devastating impact poverty has on the lives of too many of the capital’s children.  Working with our local partners, we are committed to doing all we can to eradicate child poverty.”

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Louise Orr, DCSF, 020 7227 5180

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