MSPs quiz Education Secretary John Swinney on the Children and Young People (Information Sharing) Bill
Rural economy and connectivity ministers are quizzed, to be followed by environment, climate change and land reform ministers, in this week's portfolio questions
MSPs debate and then vote on the Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill
Green MSP Andy Wightman leads a debate on Homes First
Image source, bbcLib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton
Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton begins by praising the work of the Poverty Alliance, CPAG and Children 1st for their work and remembers the 15 years he worked alongside them.
This of course means that MSPs will unanimously pass the Child Poverty Bill half an hour earlier than planned.
That also means Green MSP Andy Wightman's debate on Homes First will be at 5.05pm and not at 5.30pm
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SNP MSP Alex Neil says: "The key challenge now is how are we going to make these targets happen by 2030."
He makes two suggestions.
"Many of us are annoyed and angered that the third child is no longer entitled to child tax credit.
"The government should look to see if they can plug that gap.
"It should not cost that much money."
Mr Neil also suggests adding £10 per child to to child tax credits.
Image source, bbcLabour MSP Pauline McNeill
Labour MSP Pauline McNeill says the Scottish government will have the full support of the Labour party in attempting to achieve its child poverty targets.
Ms McNeill says: "Child poverty is a national scandal."
She says: "It is important all children have parity in tutoring support in schools."
"Bright but poor children can lag two years behind more affluent ones."
Ms McNeil says: "Together, cross party, we have made a bill that is absolutely worth supporting."
Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins says: "We wanted the Bill to go much further. Not just measure child poverty but to take direct steps to tackle and reduce it.
"The attainment gap at the moment is getting worse, not better.
"On its own the Bill will do nothing to lift a child out of poverty."
However, he does say: "The government's targets are ambitious, its right they are ambitious, but together we can reach them so lets get to it."
Image source, End Child PovertyFrom the End Child Poverty in Scotland website, external:
"Members of End Child Poverty in Scotland include the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, The Poverty Alliance, Barnardo’s Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, Children1st, Save the Children and Children in Scotland.
"End Child Poverty Coalition members in Scotland have written a joint response to the Scottish Government consultation on a Child Poverty Bill for Scotland.
"In our response we support the call for a Child Poverty Bill for Scotland and the income-based statutory targets which are proposed in the consultation.
"The target date is proposed for 2030, which we believe is realistic.
"In addition to the 2030 targets we believe there is a need for the legislation to include interim targets to ensure the Scottish Government and other public bodies are on track towards achieving the 2030 target."
Image source, bbcTory MSP Adam Tomkins
Tory MSP Adam Tomkins "very much welcomes" this debate and says the Child Poverty Bill has had a "good passage".
Mr Tomkins says: "This was not a very powerful Bill when introduced."
He says all opposition parties have helped strengthen the proposed legislation and it contains very ambitious targets.
The Tory MSP says: "We don't believe you can be effective on your anti-poverty strategy if you focus solely on income."
Image source, Getty ImagesMs Constance says: "We will provide a financial health check guarantee.
"We will support Scotland's credit union sector."
Ms Constance also announced they will deliver "50,000 warm affordable homes, close the poverty attainment gap, and introduce a new social economic duty for the public sector."
She concludes: "If everyone plays their part the targets are achievable.
"This Bill is the crucial next step."
Image source, bbcMs Constance says she has argued strongly to retain a wide focus and obtain expert advice.
She says the Bill focuses on tackling the unacceptable levels of child poverty.
Ms Constace says the Scottish government disagreed with the UK government when it removed targets from the Child Poverty Act 2010 and that is what led to the Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill.
She says Scotland faces benefit cuts of £4bn a year by then end of this decade.
The minister says the Scottish government has to tackle child poverty with "one hand tied behind its back".
In November last year we reported that more than 200,000 children are growing up in poverty in Scotland, a new study has suggested.
The survey for the End Child Poverty coalition suggested that 3.5 million children are living in poverty in the UK - with 220,000 of them in Scotland.
The worst-hit local authority area in Scotland is Glasgow, where 34.1% of children are affected.
Image source, Getty ImagesAccording to the Child Poverty Action Group, which assessed benefit data, about 23% of children in Scotland live in low income households. That figure is up from 19% five years ago.
Campaigners have called on the chancellor to use the upcoming Autumn Statement to end the freeze on children's benefits, and reverse the cuts being introduced to in-work benefits under Universal Credit.
The coalition, which is made up of the Child Poverty Action Group, Barnardo's Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, Children 1st and the Poverty Alliance, also wants the Scottish government to ensure the proposed Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill addresses poverty at local level.
Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities Angela Constance says: "The passing of this bill will mark a historic landmark on our road to eradicating child poverty.
"The fact this Bill has cross party support is an achievement we all share.
"Today I have introduced a draft order to meet parliament's aspiration for a statuary commission with a wide remit.
"For me it's seen vital to protect the commission's wide remit."
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Image source, Getty ImagesLegislation setting targets for the eradication of child poverty in Scotland was tabled at Holyrood in February.
The Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill will set a series of statutory targets to reduce, and ultimately wipe out, what minsters call a "systemic problem".
The general principles of the Bill were agreed unanimously on 1 June 2017.
Studies show more than 200,000 children in Scotland are growing up in poverty.
Equalities Secretary Angela Constance said this was "utterly unacceptable", adding that the government is "utterly committed" to tackling the problem.
The legislation, external sets an initial target of cutting the number of children in relative poverty to less than 10% by 2030, and in absolute poverty to less than 5%. As of December 2016, the rates stood at 22% and 21% respectively.
The government said it would publish a three-year delivery plan by April 2018, which will be updated every five years alongside annual reports to measure progress.
Poverty has been shown to be the driver of inequalities from educational attainment to the health of children.
More than a quarter of children in Scotland were living in relative poverty after housing costs in 2015-2016, according to government figures released in March.
It marked what charities described as a "devastating" rise of 4% from the previous year.
Overall figures show 1.05 million people in Scotland were in relative poverty after they had paid housing costs, up 2% from the previous year.
Ministers said making a fairer and more equal Scotland was a "core ambition".
Image source, Getty ImagesMSPs will now debate Stage 3 of the Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill, external, before voting on whether to pass the Bill at decision time
The Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill, external will set targets relating to the eradication of child poverty; and to make provision about plans and reports relating to the targets..
Those are the final amendments to be approved and in fact all the Stage 3 amendments to the Child Poverty Bill are agreed to unanimously, without a peep of opposition.
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