CHILD POVERTY AND BENEFITS

Early day motion 1736, tabled 20 June 2007 by Ian Lucas (Labour). Signed by 44 members.

That this House welcomes the Government's commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020; applauds the fall in the number of children in poverty by 700,000 since 1999, but notes with concern that this figure was 300,000 short of the Government's stated target; suggests that an effective policy to achieve the target would be to disregard child benefit as income for the purposes of assessing housing benefit and council tax benefit; further notes that according to Department of Work and Pensions' figures the cost of implementing such a policy would be £300 million; and urges the Government to consider the introduction of such a policy as soon as possible.

Signatures by party: Labour 31, Liberal Democrat 3, Plaid Cymru 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, DUP 1, Independent 1, Scottish National Party 1, UUP 1.