Queen's Speech set to focus on child poverty fight

Published on Tuesday 2 December 2008 21:34

AN ASSAULT on child poverty will form the centrepiece of today's Queen's Speech, The Scotsman understands.

Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, is to introduce legislation enshrining for the first time the pledge to eradicate child poverty, probably by 2020.

About 2.9 million British children are classed as living in poverty – 210,000 in Scotland. This means they live in a household on less than 60 per cent of the average weekly wage.

In 1999, Tony Blair, the then prime minister, was the first to commit Labour to eradicating child poverty in a generation.

The Queen's Speech will set out 11 new bills, plus two carried over from last session – on reforming the banking system and the funding of political parties. The banking bill is likely to be strengthened amid the global financial crisis following demands that banks be forced to resume lending.

About 725,000 Scots receiving benefits or tax credits will be able to join a new "savings gateway" that will boost their deposits with a contribution from the government.

All 11 new bills will apply in Scotland – unlike draft proposals for 18 bills, of which only 14 had partial or full relevance. Jim Murphy, the Scottish Secretary, hailed it as the "most Scottish Queen's Speech since devolution".

The Scottish Government is understood to have requested that Westminster include Scotland in legislation on relevant matters.

Other key areas include welfare reform – with the aim of getting people off benefits and into work– a "firm but fair" immigration system, and giving employees the right to ask for time off for training to improve their skills. There is also the possibility of legislation forcing energy firms to cut bills.