Green MSP Alison Johnstone says the latest statistics on child poverty showed a 4% rise in relative child poverty.

This is an increase of 40,000 children taking the total to 260,000 children she says.

Ms Johnstone says the UK government focus on work being the way out of poverty is simply not true, with 70% of children living in poverty living in a household with one working adult.

Image source, bbc

The Green MSP says her party warmly welcome the reinstating of the child poverty targets in this Bill, which were removed by the UK government.

Ms Johnstone says her party back the general principles of the Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill.

She too calls for an extra £5 on child benefit every week.

Image source, Children 1st

From the Children 1st website, external:

"Children 1st is Scotland’s National Children’s Charity. Some children have little to smile about. We’re determined to give them reasons to.

"We help Scotland’s families to put children first, with practical advice and with support in difficult times. And when the worst happens, we support survivors of abuse, neglect, and other traumatic events in childhood, to recover.

"We began in 1884 and for many years were known as the RSSPCC (Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children).

"We became Children 1st in 1995. We did this to say that children are at the heart of everything we do. And that not only do we want to prevent harm - we also want to ensure every child gets the love and nurture they deserve.

"We help Scotland’s families to put children first, with practical advice and with support in difficult times. And when the worst happens, we support survivors of abuse, neglect, and other traumatic events in childhood, to recover.

Labour MSP Richard Leonard says absolute child poverty is up from 21% to 24% in 12 months.

Over a quarter of a million children are living in poverty in Scotland today, with 70% in working households he says.

Mr Leonard says to the Tory benches these are not lifestyle choices but economic impositions.

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He says children through a chance of birth are born into poverty.

Mr Leonard says the Child Poverty Bill is a start to tackling this.

The Labour MSP calls for child benefit to be raised by £5 a week, which he says would lift 30,000 children out of poverty in Scotland at a a stroke.

Image source, Barnardo's Scotland

From the Barnardo's Scotland website, external

"Barnardo’s Scotland provides more than 130 community-based services throughout the country working with over 26,500 vulnerable children, young people and their families.

"Barnardo’s Scotland engages with external organisations to bring about positive change for children, young people and families within Scotland."

Tory MSP Liz Smith says there is no government anywhere would argue that there is an easy path to address policy.

Ms Smith says these policies are crucial when it comes to supporting disadvantaged communities.

The Tory MSP says the most important focus must be the causes of poverty rather than just the symptoms.

Ms Smith says you are not just going to get out of poverty by lifting the income levels and that it is the causes of poverty that have to be dealt with.

She says you have to focus the delivery of the early years services on the disadvantaged one and two-year-olds.

Image source, The Poverty Alliance

From the Poverty Alliance website, external:

"Our vision is of a sustainable Scotland based on social and economic justice, with dignity for all, where poverty and inequalities are not tolerated and are challenged.

"The Poverty Alliance was formally established in 1992, growing out of an informal network of groups and individuals active since the mid 1980s.

"We are a membership organisation with a range of varied experience in addressing issues related to poverty and social exclusion.

"Our membership is made up of a wide range of organisations including grassroots community groups, individuals facing poverty, voluntary organisations, statutory organisations, policy makers and academics.

"We now act as the national anti-poverty network in Scotland, working with voluntary organisations, policy makers and politicians at Scottish, UK and European levels."

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Alex Neil says: "We cannot afford not to deal with child poverty and poverty in our society."

Mr Neil says the most effective measure to reduce health inequalities is by making the real living wage mandatory for everyone in Scotland.

He says child poverty must be tackled if the attainment gap is to be closed.

The former health secretary says he fundamentally disagrees with Mr Tomkins as he thinks tackling poverty is about putting cash in the pockets of the poor.

He says there must be a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy, with tackling child poverty at its core.

Image source, One Parent Families Scotland

From the One Parent Families Scotland website, external:

"Established in 1944, One Parent Families Scotland is a national organisation which works with and on behalf of one parent families throughout Scotland.

"We are the only national organisation whose overall aim and purpose is to improve the lives of single parents and their families, enabling them to benefit from life’s opportunities, and fulfil their potential.

"We support one parent families at grass-roots level through a range of practical services; we provide training and advice to agencies and professionals; we campaign vociferously at national level in the interests of our client group."

Ms McNeill says that income maximisation in the Child poverty Bill and the forthcoming Social Security Bill may be appropriate.

The Labour MSP says she fully supports the principles of the Bill

Image source, CPAG in Scotland

From the CPAG in Scotland website, external:

"CPAG in Scotland was established in 1999 and works to raise awareness of the devastating impact poverty has on children in Scotland, maximise families’ incomes by helping to ensure those eligible for benefits and tax credits receive their full entitlements and campaign for positive policy changes to end that poverty.

"We do this through providing advice, external, information, external and training, external on benefits and tax credits to organisations in Scotland; as well promoting solutions and working to bring about real improvements in the policies that impact on the lives of low income families through our campaign and policy work, external."

Labour MSP Pauline McNeill calls for child benefit to be topped up by £5 per week and cites testimony from the Child Poverty Action Group Scotland on what a difference this could make.

Ms McNeill says Oxfam says wealth inequality has risen in recent years.

She says 70% of children in poverty are in working families.

The Labour MSP calls for a £10 living wage.

Labour MSP Pauline McNeill says the Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill currently lacks the ambition that is needed but says her party are fully behind a targets framework.

Ms McNeill says she welcomes the interim targets but that this should be on the face of the Bill.

The Labour MSP says she agrees with Adam Tomkins that independent scrutiny of the government's work is essential.

She says it is the redistribution of income which will make the biggest difference and fundamentally it is a lack of income that makes someone live in poverty.

Image source, Reuters/BBC

The claim: 260,000 children in Scotland are living in poverty, 40,000 up on last year.

Reality Check verdict: The best available figures suggest he is right to say there has been a jump in child poverty in Scotland to 260,000 after several years of little change.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn addressed the Scottish Trades Union Congressin Aviemore on Monday.

He highlighted the increase in relative child poverty in Scotland, saying that 260,000 children are living in relative poverty, which is up 40,000 on last year.

The figures come from a Scottish Government publication,, external which calculates relative poverty as living in households with incomes below 60% of the median income for the UK, after housing costs have been paid.

The median income is the one for which half of UK households have a higher income and half have a lower one.

The most recent figure is for the financial year 2015-16, and suggests that 260,000 children were living in relative poverty after housing costs, which is 26% of children in Scotland. That's up from 220,000 or 22% in 2014-15.

Image source, bbc

Mr Tomkins says the independence of oversight and scrutiny is clear.

The Tory MSPs says Scottish ministers plans are not a recipe for independent scrutiny.

He says his party will seek to amend the bill to strengthen it.

Mr Tomkins says educational under-attainment is one of the drivers of poverty and the first minister claims that it is one of her priorities. He says the opportunity has been missed to reflect this in the Bill.

The Tory MSP says his party will be introducing an amendment at stage two which makes it a legal obligation for ministers to reduce the attainment gap.