Child Poverty in the UK - Westminster
Hall Debate
31. The Committee's inquiry into child poverty was
a wide-ranging inquiry which reflected the complex causes of child
poverty and the formidable task facing the Government in their
goal to eradicate it. The Report was debated in Westminster Hall.
Some of the Report's key recommendations around the Government's
welfare-to-work strategy and the childcare strategy have subsequently
been addressed in the 2004 Budget, the Treasury's Child Poverty
Review, published in July 2004[8]
and the 2004 Pre-Budget Report. These include the Pathways to
Work pilot, incorporating the Return to Work credit, being extended
to around a third of the country and a further £30 million
for the New Deal for Disabled People budget; and additional support
for parents of young children through extended maternity pay and
leave.
Health and Safety - Planned Westminster
Hall Debate
32. The Government welcomed the Committee's acknowledgement
of the HSE/C as a high-quality organisation. It shared the Committee's
concern about the level of health and safety risks faced by migrant
workers and HSE is taking forward a programme of work to further
investigate this and determine how it might be addressed in future.
The Government also agreed that procurement is an effective route
to improve health and safety standards and has asked a Ministerial
Task Force to implement the Committee's recommendation that for
all its major procurement contracts, the Government should only
buy from suppliers with satisfactory health and safety procedures
and practices in place. A Westminster Hall debate is scheduled
for 20 January 2005.
8 HM Treasury, Child Poverty Review, July 2004 Back
