Mark Isherwood
The latest figures showing Wales still has the worst child poverty figures of all UK nations are a disgrace, claims a senior Welsh Conservative.
The latest data shows that 200,000 children in Wales are living in poverty, after housing costs are taken into account. This represents 31% of children living in Wales in the three years up to 2012-13.
Wales has a higher rate of child poverty than almost every English region, apart from London.
The Welsh Labour Government missed its target to halve child poverty in Wales by 2010.
Mark Isherwood AM, Shadow Minister for Communities & Housing, said, “After 15 years of successive Labour Governments, Wales retains its unenviable position having the worst child poverty rate of all the UK nations.
“Labour missed its target to halve child poverty by 2010 and is set to miss its target to eradicate child poverty by 2020.
“Labour Ministers like to blame others and pass the buck, but child poverty in Wales has been rising steadily since 2004 and Wales had the highest child poverty levels in the UK long before any change in UK government and prior to the credit crunch.
“Levels of child poverty on Labour’s watch have got worse because of a failure to tackle the deep-rooted causes of deprivation and to break the cycle of poverty in many Welsh communities.
“We must support people to escape poverty of aspiration and opportunity and help them to reach their full potential for a good and healthy life.
“We must break down the barriers between people who provide services and those who use them and promote economic development in West Wales and the Valleys, one of only three regions in the UK still qualifying for full EU convergence assistance.
“Education and employment opportunities are key routes out of poverty but in Labour-run Wales, there is insufficient support for small businesses to expand, create new jobs and contribute to economic growth.
“Welsh Labour Ministers must act to nurture entrepreneurship to help create prosperity in Welsh communities and not let down another generation by trapping them in poverty from such a tender age.”
