From SNP Media today:

Speaking to the Work and Pensions Select Committee this morning, Robert Joyce – Deputy Director and Head of Income, Work and Welfare at the IFS – stated that: 

“They [Scottish Government] are making pretty substantial increases. They have just made clearly a distributional choice (…) to channel a lot more money towards low-income families with children in particular and that has a meaningful impact on incomes.”

That view was echoed by the Director of ‘The Poverty Alliance’, Peter Kelly, who said:

“The principles that are embedded into the social security system in Scotland (…) I think is particularly important. The principle around making a contribution to reducing poverty in particular I think is an important principle.”

Moreover, Ashwin Kumar – Professor of Social Policy and Director, Policy, Evaluation Research Unit at Manchester Metropolitan University – said:

“The Child Poverty Act, that sets out targets, has given the Scottish Government a significant focus on what it can do to reduce poverty, and that’s hugely welcome”.