[Geo4All] UK Government launches Ministerial taskforce for 4 million UK children in poverty

[Suchith Anand]

I thank the Scottish Government for announcing that the two-child cap on benefits would be scrapped in Scotland.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/dec/04/two-child-benefit-cap-will-be-scrapped-in-scotland-vows-snp

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr564j8y696o

Well done Scotland. This is a great start and I humbly request the UK Government to follow Scotland’s leadership on this.

I am grateful to everyone working for education opportunities for all.

Best wishes

Suchith


> 
>> 
>> 
>> From: Suchith Anand 
>> Subject: UK Government launches Ministerial taskforce for 4 million UK children in poverty
>> Date: 4 December 2024 at 17:05:32 GMT
>> 
>> 
>> Dear colleagues,
>> 
>> I read this upsetting article today in Food Foundation website
>> 
>> Children reduced to stealing food cards because they can't afford to eat at school | Food Foundation <https://foodfoundation.org.uk/news/children-reduced-stealing-food-cards-because-they-cant-afford-eat-school>
>> 
>> To keep you all updated, I have received response from the UK Government to my email send about ending child poverty and the educational attainment gap. Details at https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/geoforall/2024-July/006509.html
>> 
>> In the reply letter that I received on 29 July 2024 from the UK Government Head of Ministerial Correspondence Team says "The Government knows that child poverty has gone up by 700,000 since 2010 with over four million children now growing up in a low-income family. This not only harms children’s lives now, it also damages their future prospects and holds back our economic potential as a country. The Government wants to bring about lasting change, which is why, on 17 July, it announced its joint ministerial taskforce with both the Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Education, to begin work on an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy. The Government is creating a Child Poverty Unit in the Cabinet Office which will report to the taskforce and bring together expert officials from across government as well as external experts.
>> 
>> 
>> Recognising the wide-ranging root causes of child poverty, Secretaries of State from across Government will take part in this work, with the first meeting set to take place in the coming weeks. The Government’s Taskforce will work closely with parents, charities and civil organisations as part of the Government’s ambitious strategy and the Government has already started this vital work by listening to experts and campaigners to support it."
>> 
>> I humbly request the UK Government to please do the following urgently
>> 
>> Implement universal Free School Meals for all students, starting with those whose families are on Universal Credit
>> Auto-enrol all eligible students onto Free School Meals 
>> Increase the income threshold for Free School Meal eligibility (e.g. up to £15,000 as in Northern Ireland) 
>> Eliminate the two-child benefit cap 
>> Expand and increase holiday food support programmes
>> Improve food quality standards in schools 
>> I humbly request the UK Government to please listen and have compassion. Thank you.
>> 
>> Best wishes
>> 
>> Suchith
>> 
>> Professor Suchith Anand
>> Professor of Practice in Science Policy | Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organisations | Scientist | Global Citizen | SDG Volunteer and Advocate
>> https://www.exeter.ac.uk <https://www.exeter.ac.uk/>
>> https://ethicaldatainitiative.org <https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/>
>> 

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