Department for Work and Pensions publishes report showing a rise in child poverty

This week saw the publication of the nineteenth edition of the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. This report presents information on potential living standards as determined by disposable income in 2006/07, changes in income patterns over time and income mobility. The statistics cover the UK income distribution in 2006/07, including the latest figures for the number and percentage of children, pensioners and working-age people in the UK living in relative and absolute poverty.

The figures show that whilst the vast majority of people are better off than they were ten years ago, with record numbers of people in work:

• The number of children in the UK experiencing low income and material deprivation – those who can’t afford basic things such as sending their kids on a school trip – fell by 100,000 between 2005/06 and 2006/07.
• The number of children in relative poverty rose by 100,000, both before and after housing costs are taken into account, to 2.9million (BHC) and 3.9million (AHC) respectively between 2005/06 and 2006/07. Between 1998/99 and 2006/07 the number of children in relative poverty has fallen by 600,000 (BHC) and 500,000 (AHC).

Jamie Hepburn MSP has tabled a motion on Unacceptable Levels of Poverty in Scotland. The motion states:

That the Parliament notes with concern the Office for National Statistics publication, Scottish Households Below Average Income 2006-07, which shows some 17% of households in Scotland and 21% of children are living in relative poverty, with 12% of children living in absolute poverty; believes that these figures are morally unacceptable and represent a failure of successive UK governments to take poverty in Scotland seriously, and further believes that the Parliament and Scottish Government need the normal powers of independence, including powers over the welfare and taxation system, in order to tackle poverty in Scotland.

Plaid Cymru MP, Hywel Williams, also responded to the publication by expressing his concern that UK child poverty targets will not be met without a fundamental change of policy by UK Government. Mr Williams stated that ‘These figures are extremely disheartening, and clearly show that the issue of Child Poverty will not be solved in Wales unless there is a drastic change in UK Government policy. Indeed, the figures clearly show that Wales has the highest or amongst the highest levels of poverty throughout the UK. What is clear from today’s report is that more needs to be done to help these families who are suffering the most.’

David Davis resigns from Parliament over 42-day detention

Conservative shadow Home Secretary David Davis has announced he is to stand down as an MP and run for re-election in his constituency, Haltemprice and Howden. Mr Davis explained that he wished fight the ensuing by-election as a referendum against the ’slow strangulation of British freedoms’.

The shadow Home Secretary argued that the Commons, in accepting controversial proposals for 42-day detention, had failed the UK. The Government could use the Parliament Act to force the Bill through the Lords, Mr Davis warned, although he maintained that the legal basis for this was uncertain as the measure had not appeared in Labour’s 2005 manifesto.

The Government had presided over the ‘insidious, surreptitious and relentless erosion of our freedoms’, Mr Davis claimed, highlighting the development of ID cards, a DNA database, and an assault on jury trials. He criticised the clamp down on peaceful protest and ‘hate laws’ and said that Britain was becoming a ‘database state’.

Mr Davis is understood to have held talks with the Liberal Democrats on the possibility of that party not fielding a candidate in the by-election. In 2005, the Liberal Democrats were the second party in the constituency.

No Day Named Motion – Retention of Maternity, Medical and Accident & Emergency Services at the Lagan Valley Hospital

The following motion on Retention of Maternity, Medical and Accident & Emergency Services at the Lagan Valley Hospital was lodged in the Northern Ireland Assembly by Jeffrey Donaldson on 4 June 2008.

That this Assembly opposes the proposal by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust to cut frontline maternity and medical services at the Lagan Valley Hospital; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to ensure that the people of the Lagan Valley constituency continue to have access to in-hospital maternity, medical and accident and emergency services in their local Lagan Valley Hospital.

Lords Darzi discusses the risks associated with obesity during pregnancy

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Health, Lord Darzi of Denham, this week told MPs that the Government was working to tackle the problems related to obesity during pregnancy. He spoke about the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health’s report ‘Saving Mothers’ Lives’, highlighting its finding in 2005 that thirty percent of mothers with stillbirths were classed as obese.

Lord Darzi stressed that prevention was a key method of tackling this issue and ensuring all women had sufficient access to maternity care so that they could have the right information and advice, as laid out in the Government’s ‘Maternity Matters’ policy. In addition, the Lord stated that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) would be publishing a toolkit in 2009 to enable each individual woman to have their risks and needs identified during pregnancy. With regards to prevention he stated that NICE would be developing guidelines on nutrition during pregnancy and also spoke of the value of children’s centres in providing advice on these issues.

Opening the debate, Baroness Rendell of Babergh discussed the threat obesity placed on expectant mothers and their children and the opportunity antenatal care provided in advising women on nutrition and similar.

Earl Howe, as Conservative Shadow Health Minister, highlighted the issues surrounding IVF treatment and obesity. He stated that there had been suggestions from the British Fertility Society and other organisations that a maximum BMI limit should be placed on those wanting IVF.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Women and Equality, Baroness Thomas of Walliswood, also highlighted the increased costs to the NHS due to the long-term problems mothers and children would have that were linked to obesity. She agreed that preventative care was vital and stressed that the social aspects of the issue needed to be addressed as well as the medical. Baroness Tonge, Lib Dem Spokesperson, also said the Government needed to take a joined-up approach on children’s health and repeated the idea that community clinics and similar were important.