Chamber and committees

I appreciate that. Erica Judge, you scored payment of the real living wage as a 3. Will you expand on your thoughts behind that?

I generally would take an intervention—I would really like to hear what the member has to say—but I need to keep going.

Unfortunately, real change is not coming. To adapt a previous slogan from new Labour, it looks like things can only get worse.

The powers of independence will let us leave this tragedy behind. With the powers of independence, we can truly challenge poverty. Only with control over our own affairs can we do that and truly achieve a more equal and poverty-free Scotland.

I welcome Paul O’Kane’s members’ business debate on challenge poverty week, which follows on from the Scottish Government’s significant debate on the issue that was held on Tuesday. I thank all the anti-poverty organisations that have provided briefings for the debate.

Poverty can often be hidden behind closed doors or masked by pride, but it is a persistent and systemic issue. Unfortunately, it can involve parents and elderly people choosing between heating and eating, which is not a choice that any of us, as parliamentarians, face. Therefore, it is up to us to push for the change that we need.

Tackling child poverty is one of the SNP Government’s biggest priorities, and it is one that we remain firmly focused on. We prioritise those who are most in need through a range of policies, including the Scottish child payment, which, as the Poverty and Inequality Commission noted, has been described as a “game changer” and is one of the main contributors to progress in reducing child poverty at the national level.

When I spoke in last year’s debate on this topic, I listed the many organisations in my community that challenge poverty not just for one week but for 365 days of the year. That remains true today. There are simply so many that I cannot name them all, but it is important to me to put on record my thanks to Golden Friendships, Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels, Faifley food share, East Dunbartonshire Foodbank, Dalmuir Barclay church community pantry, West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare, the Recycle Room, East Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau, Improving Lives, West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau, Clydebank group holidays, advice staff in East and West Dunbartonshire Councils, Clydebank Asbestos Group and so many more.

Every day, those organisations are saving lives. Every day, they show kindness, warmth and dedication to serving those most in need and, in turn, make our communities better places. I look forward to seeing all those wonderful organisations at my cost of living event next month—an event to which they all come, ready to help our communities.

The fact that such groups must exist in this day and age is appalling, and the UK welfare regime that fuels their existence needs a radical overhaul to make it fit for purpose. So far, unfortunately, there has just been more of the same. Indeed, for many pensioners, things are now getting even worse.

There has been no movement on child poverty, either. Despite good efforts by the previous Labour Government, Labour has now become the party of child poverty. I am thinking of the two-child policy and the abhorrent rape clause. The fact is that Labour has not just kept children in poverty but actively dragged them into it, because, as a new report from CPAG has stated, every day that the two-child policy remains in place, 109 children are pulled into poverty. CPAG has made it clear that

“Scrapping”

the two-child limit

“is the most cost-effective way to stop more kids being pulled into poverty on the”

UK

“government’s watch”.

Labour MSPs should demand that it be scrapped in the budget, and I hope that they do, but so far this week they have failed to do so. I give credit where credit is due, though, and commend Richard Leonard and Alex Rowley for their actions. It was good to see that.

It is very telling that the SNP has done more than today’s new Labour Party to keep in place a Gordon Brown policy to keep pensioners warm this winter. Unfortunately, real change is not coming, and it looks like—

Yes.

Thank you.

I mentioned your name, but obviously you did not pick that up.

Minister, court exemptions were discussed last week. Are you likely to review them?

You mentioned the impact that there will be if we do not pass the SSIs. Will you expand on that?

Good morning. Last week, we heard from Dr Andrew Tickell about the constitutional issues and the complexity with regard to any bill on this matter and the need for Governments to work together to address them. Can the cabinet secretary comment on the discussions that she has had in that respect with the UK Government? From this morning’s discussion, it does not look as though the process has started yet, but as far as the issues with the Supreme Court are concerned, when is it likely to commence? I am quite concerned about that.

The Supreme Court judgment raises a lot of issues, and I am glad to hear that there will, I hope, be positive dialogue.

At last week’s committee meeting, witnesses mentioned the need for clear communication with stakeholders, and the issue has been mentioned again this morning. With that in mind, how will you keep in touch with stakeholders? Obviously, there will be discussions about the programme for government and so on, but how will you do that in a positive way that allows them to work alongside you?