Debate contribution: Emergency Food Parcels for Children

Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on 27 January 2025.

MLA

Mr Gordon Lyons

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

27 January 2025

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Emergency Food Parcels for Children

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4759226

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you very much, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I begin by thanking Sian Mulholland, the Member for North Antrim, for using the opportunity, through the motion, to highlight the importance of the issue. It is a shame on our society that so many people are being forced to use food parcels. I say clearly that I am determined to do all that I can and all that is in my gift to help those who are in need and to reduce the necessity for such help. We have seen, as was said, a 90% increase in usage over the past five years. Although, since last year, there has been a 13% decrease in the number of people needing to avail themselves of food banks, it is still concerning. Of course, this is about the wider issue of child poverty. Parents, grandparents and guardians have to present for different reasons. Sometimes, it is because of benefit delays, benefit changes, income not covering basic costs, changes in circumstances or family breakdown. People have to avail themselves of the services for different reasons. Often, unfortunately, a sense of shame, embarrassment and, perhaps, even stigma comes with that. Having spoken to people who use food banks, I have heard them say things like, "I never thought that I would need to use a food bank". They are people who are in employment. They have jobs but, because of their particular circumstances, have had to use a food bank. They even talk about the shame that they feel when having to use the public entrances to some of the buildings, because they think that others will think less of them because they have to use a food bank. I want to outline my commitment to tackling the issue. Every Member who is doing their job properly will see for themselves every week the impact that child poverty has. I see it every week, and it is a scourge, not only because of the immediate impacts that it has on our society but because of the long-term consequences. We know that it can result in poorer outcomes in the education, health and well-being of our people. Those are generational problems. First, I thank all those who work in the sector and do so much to help people in need. They help those who need support not only by providing the essentials but, often, by offering a listening ear, talking to people and signposting them to other help. The situation has an impact on those who serve in that way as well, so we should thank them for what they have done. Secondly, I highlight my commitment to the anti-poverty strategy and its delivery. The Executive's anti-poverty strategy, which is in the final stages of development, will be a key component in tackling poverty. My officials are engaging with their colleagues in all other Departments through a cross-departmental working group, so that we can develop an action plan to underpin our anti-poverty strategy. The House will know that I have asked for that work to be prioritised and expedited. I previously said to the House that it was my intention to get the strategy to the Executive by the end of this financial year, but I can let the House know today that it will be with the Executive in February — within a matter of weeks. It is important that the anti-poverty strategy is credible. It must be deliverable, it must make a tangible difference in people's lives, and, most important, it must recognise how we can get people out of poverty. Work is absolutely essential to that. Following my initial letter to colleagues in autumn 2024, I wrote in December to seek Departments' strategic input to the draft strategy, including policies and actions that will contribute to the delivery of the three key pillars. The majority of departmental inputs were received over the first weeks in January, and officials are incorporating them into a revised draft for my consideration. Worryingly, the most recent statistics published by my Department show a significant increase in the number of children and working-age adults who were living in poverty in 2022-23. Dealing with poverty means not only dealing with low incomes: ensuring that high-skilled and meaningful jobs are available for everyone will be key to dealing with poverty in a sustainable manner. It will also involve us in tackling issues such as educational attainment gaps and health inequalities. While we address those issues, it is essential that we ensure that our society and economy provide opportunities for the future. Much work has been progressed to date that we can take forward and on which we can build. However, it is also important that we learn from what has gone before. In that context, I welcome the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on child poverty. It will be included as part of the broader anti-poverty strategy, because child poverty does not exist in a vacuum. It is essential that we acknowledge that tacking child poverty means addressing wider issues of disadvantage in our society.

We simply cannot lift children out of poverty without addressing the issues that affect their parents, grandparents, carers and all the other people who support them throughout their lives.

An anti-poverty strategy that also addresses child poverty is likely to have a lifespan of 10 years. Given that the strategy will impact on a generation of our population, we need to make sure that it includes the right priorities, the right actions and the right interventions. Given the many competing priorities that we face, it is essential that we focus our efforts on the areas that will yield the greatest benefits. We are taking this work forward at pace, and my officials are engaging with their colleagues in all other Departments. through a cross-departmental working group, to work towards developing an action plan that will underpin our anti-poverty strategy. Today's motion also calls for:

"a progressive social security system that better supports families with children."

Responsibility for the majority of the social security system lies, ultimately, with DWP. Since becoming Minister, I have engaged with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and other DWP Ministers to make the case for a progressive social security system that is better designed to meet the needs of children. I will continue to make the argument for that. I recognise that there are steps that we can and must take at a local level as well. For example, my Department recently completed a comprehensive review of the current welfare mitigation schemes. On 5 December, I took the decision to announce that all existing welfare mitigations would be extended to March 2028. That extension will provide reassurance to people in receipt of that support who may have been concerned about their future financial stability. That is real, concrete action, and I will continue to work alongside my Executive colleagues to tackle poverty across our society. Together, we will identify and implement effective and sustainable actions that will address the immediate pressures faced by children living in poverty and their families, and, through developing an anti-poverty strategy, we will seek to provide long-term solutions for their future. I have listened to the voices of concern, but we need actions, and, more than that, those actions must be the right actions, taken in order to make a real and sustainable difference to people's lives. That is my focus. I noted with interest the comments of the proposer of the motion about the statistics in Scotland. That is an issue to debate on another day. I have some disagreements with the facts that she provided. According to the latest official statistics, the percentage of children living in relative poverty in Scotland increased from 23% in 2021-22 to 26% in 2022-23. She mentioned, in particular, the impact of the child payment. I do not believe that we have evidence yet that it has been effective, which is why we need to focus on the right actions and make sure that we take steps that actually make a difference. The concerns expressed today illustrate the seriousness with which the Assembly views the issues involved. I think that we share a common purpose today. I look forward to working with Executive colleagues, Members of the Assembly and our partners in wider society in a coordinated and effective way as we move forward and change for the better and for the betterment of the lives of children in Northern Ireland. A number of other comments were raised during the debate that are worthy of discussion. First, it is important to note that we are on the same page on a number of issues. We previously discussed the impact of the two-child limit, how unfair that is and the real impact that it has on families. We talked about the importance of affordable childcare — I completely agree about that — and about the five-week wait for those on universal credit. It is worth highlighting, once more, the fantastic work that the Trussell Trust and others do. I again give a special mention to Christians Against Poverty for its work, especially on debt advice, and for the help that it gives to those who experience debt. I want to address a few other comments. I take issue, in particular, with a comment made by Mr Durkan about the timing of the winter fuel payment. I believe that he was trying to present it as some sort of great revelation that the payments would not be made until the end of March this year. I have been honest and upfront with the House. The statement that I made in November last year was very clear about the timing. I was upfront and honest about the timings. It is disingenuous of the Member to suggest that, in some way, we have not been able to achieve any targets that we have set.

That is simply not accurate. I never said that the payments would start in December. I always said that they would be made by the end of March.

I said that they would be made by the end of March, and we have not yet reached that stage. The payments are all being done together. It is wrong of him to feign surprise in some way that the payments have not been made yet, when I was always crystal clear with the House. It is very important that that is taken on board. There is also something else that we, as a House, need to do. It is important, as we will see in the anti-poverty strategy, that we do everything that we can to increase people's incomes, provide more work, provide more opportunities and break down barriers to work. We also need to think about people's outgoings. It is really important that, when we make decisions in the House, we understand that they will have consequences for people out there. The decisions that we make around energy, the decisions that we make around the cost of living and the decisions that we make that can make it more difficult to build homes or to get essentials: those decisions have an impact and put pressure on people's budgets. In the past, we have not always been aware of that, and it is something that we should keep in mind. When I introduce the anti-poverty strategy, it will be clear: we will do everything that we can to prevent people getting into poverty; we will help people who find themselves in poverty; and, importantly, we will make sure that there is an escape route for people.

Ultimately, that will be a decision for the Executive to make. However, I am clear that, if we are real about tackling the issue, the appropriate money needs to be attached to the strategy. It is not just about the individual actions that we can take; it is about everything that we do in the Government. We need to make it as easy as possible for people to escape poverty and make sure that we help those who find themselves in poverty. I hope that Ministers will take it seriously and that we will allocate the necessary resources to make sure that we can help those who are in need. I am grateful that the motion was brought to the House today. I am determined that we will take action on the issue for the betterment of everyone in Northern Ireland, but particularly for those children who are suffering.

2,087 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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