Scottish Government Debate: Reversal of the UK Government’s Two-child Benefit Cap

Shirley-Anne Somerville S6M-10716 That the Parliament calls on the UK Government to scrap the punitive two-child limit, which limits the amount of Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit a family can receive and undermines action to reduce child poverty in Scotland. Miles Briggs S6M-10716.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-10716 in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville (Reversal of the UK Government’s Two-child Benefit Cap), leave out from "calls" to end and insert "notes that the UK Government has a duty to manage public finances carefully for future generations; considers that the UK Government has sought to curb increasing welfare spending by reducing benefits to those on higher incomes; acknowledges exemptions to the two-child policy in respect of Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit, such as for families with children with disabilities; welcomes the UK Government’s £94 billion in support to help families navigate the global cost of living crisis, and commits to focusing on debating issues that are within devolved responsibilities, such as the roll-out of benefits through Social Security Scotland, the closing of the poverty-related attainment gap, the roll-out of free school meals, the inability of local authorities to adequately fund childcare provisions and the disturbing number of children in temporary accommodation." Paul O'Kane S6M-10716.1 As an amendment to motion S5M-10716 in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville (Reversal of the UK Government’s Two-child Benefit Cap), insert at end "; notes that an estimated two thirds of children in poverty live in working households, 10% of all employees in Scotland are stuck in low pay, and that 72% of that group are women, and welcomes, therefore, the proposal for a New Deal for Working People, which has been endorsed by the TUC and includes plans to ban zero-hours contracts, outlaw fire and rehire practices, and raise the minimum wage in order to tackle insecure work and to make sure that work pays as a key route to ending poverty."