‘DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY CHILD POVERTY LEVEL A ‘SCANDAL’ SAYS COLIN SMYTH MSP  

A new report highlighting that 24.3% of children in Dumfries and Galloway are living in poverty has been described as a ‘scandal’………….

NEWS FROM DG LABOUR
TUESDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2016

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY CHILD POVERTY LEVEL A ‘SCANDAL’ SAYS COLIN SMYTH MSP  

A new report highlighting that 24.3% of children in Dumfries and Galloway are living in poverty has been described as a ‘scandal’.

The damning indictment on the state of child poverty in the country has shown the true extent of the difficulties local children are facing daily. The report commissioned by the End Child Poverty Coalition surveyed the entire country evaluating the state of poverty among children growing up in Scotland. The report showed that Dumfries and Galloway’s children find themselves among the worst affected by child poverty. 

Responding to the Child Poverty Map published today (8 November), Colin Smyth MSP said:

“This research shows that almost one in four children in Dumfries and Galloway are growing up in poverty and that is a scandal. Both the UK Conservative Government and the SNP Scottish Government are failing to prioritise tackling child poverty as a key issue, yet it is so damaging to our communities.”

“The UK Conservative Government needs to end their failing welfare reforms and the SNP Scottish Government needs to stop their cuts to local councils. Dumfries and Galloway Council has seen millions taken from its budget over the years and it is impacting the council’s ability to reduce poverty across the region. This is much needed money that could be spent on helping lift children out of poverty. It is time the Scottish Government rethought their strategy of cutting budgets, and invested in communities.”

“Scottish Labour will be putting forward amendments to the Scottish budget so that the Scottish Parliament can use its powers to stop the cuts. It is now the time for action to prevent further children slipping into poverty, and we believe it should have the support of all parties.”

“In Dumfries and Galloway our children deserve better.”

ENDS

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: ross.henderson@parliament.scot OR 01387 279205

NOTES TO EDITOR:

The full report can be found here as well as End Child Poverty Coalition contact details: http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/new-figures-reveal-nearly-half-of-children-are-living-in-poverty-in-some-parts-of-the-uk/

The Scottish Child Poverty Map for Scotland is below:

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Scotland

 

Percentage of children in poverty (after housing costs)

   

By Local Authority

 
   

Aberdeen City

18.20%

Aberdeenshire

13.10%

Angus

20.60%

Argyll and Bute

20.40%

Clackmannanshire

27.30%

Dumfries and Galloway

24.30%

Dundee City

27.70%

East Ayrshire

28.00%

East Dunbartonshire

14.20%

East Lothian

20.30%

East Renfrewshire

14.50%

Edinburgh, City of

22.00%

Eileanan an Iar

17.60%

Falkirk

22.00%

Fife

25.00%

Glasgow City

34.10%

Highland

19.20%

Inverclyde

27.90%

Midlothian

22.50%

Moray

17.20%

North Ayrshire

30.40%

North Lanarkshire

25.00%

Orkney Islands

14.10%

Perth and Kinross

18.20%

Renfrewshire

23.60%

Scottish Borders

21.00%

Shetland Islands

10.60%

South Ayrshire

25.70%

South Lanarkshire

22.00%

Stirling

18.80%

West Dunbartonshire

26.50%

West Lothian

22.80%

 
   
   
   

Westminster constituencies

 

Percentage of children in poverty (after housing costs)

 
   

Aberdeen North

23.00%

Aberdeen South

15.70%

Airdrie and Shotts

28.20%

Angus

23.30%

Argyll and Bute

20.40%

Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock

30.00%

Banff and Buchan

18.90%

Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk

22.70%

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

23.00%

Central Ayrshire

27.00%

Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill

22.60%

Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East

22.20%

Dumfries and Galloway

24.80%

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale

20.00%

Dundee East

22.70%

Dundee West

27.90%

Dunfermline and West Fife

21.00%

East Dunbartonshire

12.20%

East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow

19.60%

East Lothian

20.30%

East Renfrewshire

14.50%

Edinburgh East

27.30%

Edinburgh North and Leith

23.70%

Edinburgh South

18.50%

Edinburgh South West

23.40%

Edinburgh West

17.50%

Na h-Eileanan an Iar

17.60%

Falkirk

21.10%

Glasgow Central

39.20%

Glasgow East

33.70%

Glasgow North

31.00%

Glasgow North East

37.60%

Glasgow North West

33.20%

Glasgow South

29.30%

Glasgow South West

33.40%

Glenrothes

30.60%

Gordon

9.20%

Inverclyde

27.90%

Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey

17.70%

Kilmarnock and Loudoun

26.70%

Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath

27.70%

Lanark and Hamilton East

23.70%

Linlithgow and East Falkirk

23.10%

Livingston

23.00%

Midlothian

22.50%

Moray

17.20%

Motherwell and Wishaw

26.10%

North Ayrshire and Arran

29.30%

North East Fife

18.40%

Ochil and South Perthshire

21.70%

Orkney and Shetland

12.20%

Paisley and Renfrewshire North

22.00%

Paisley and Renfrewshire South

25.20%

Perth and North Perthshire

19.70%

Ross, Skye and Lochaber

18.00%

Rutherglen and Hamilton West

23.00%

Stirling

18.80%

West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

9.90%

West Dunbartonshire

26.50%