7. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Tackling Poverty

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 7:01 pm on 5 June 2019.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 7:01, 5 June 2019

Are you therefore ignoring the responsibility—the clear responsibility—that the UK Government has had and continues to have for poverty rates in Wales? Four billion pounds more to invest; that's how much we should have had. That's how much we would have had had there been a Government of a different composition in Westminster. The tax and welfare regime that the current UK Government operate has a huge impact on poverty rates in Wales. Clearly, they could play their part, and they should play their part, in calling off the damaging and divisive programme of cuts and investing in economies that need their support.

Dirprwy Lywydd, our approach has been reinforced by the decision of the new First Minister to make tackling poverty a priority area in the Welsh Government's budget planning process. The Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs is leading a working group as part of our budget preparations to increase the impact of our collective investment. The Minister for Housing and Local Government is also developing the work we are doing to tackle child poverty, leading a review of funding programmes to ensure that we have the maximum impact on the lives of children living in poverty. That work is helping us to enhance our approach and to develop a clearer message to our partners in the public, private and third sectors about the collaboration that we need to deliver better outcomes with.

I'd like to thank Members for their contributions today and commit to working with them as we take forward this important mission of ending poverty in Wales.