4. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce child poverty in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley. (S6O-02311)

We are providing a range of support that will benefit families in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley—and, indeed, across Scotland—including investment in the game-changing Scottish child payment, 1,140 hours of funded childcare, free bus travel for under-22s and the Scottish welfare fund. Our five family payments, including the Scottish child payment, could be worth more than £10,000 by the time that an eligible child turns six, and more than £20,000 by the time that an eligible child is 16 years old. We also continue to support free welfare, debt and income maximisation advice services, with funding of at least £11 million allocated this year.

When you come to this place, one of your key hopes is that you will make a difference to the lives of the people you represent—and what a difference the Scottish child payment is making for families in my constituency. Instead of deliberately driving more families into poverty like the Tories do, the Scottish Government is putting hard cash into the hands of families and helping around 4,000 youngsters in my constituency to escape poverty. Does the cabinet secretary agree that it was crucial to extend the eligibility and value of the payment to reach out to as many families as possible? Will the Government continue to do everything that it can to lift more families and youngsters out of the scourge of poverty within the lifetime of this Parliament?

I thank Willie Coffey for that question. Indeed, modelling that was published in March 2022, before the most severe impacts of the cost of living crisis, estimated that the

Scottish child payment would lift 50,000 children out of poverty and reduce relative child poverty by 5 percentage points in 2023-24.

Statistics published this week show that, as of 31 March this year, 303,000 children are now benefiting from the Scottish child payment, with more than £7.2 million paid to clients living in East Ayrshire since the payment launched in February 2021. It is a game-changing payment, which we are pleased to have been able to provide. What a shame, Presiding Officer, that the United Kingdom Government continues, through its welfare regime, to push children and their families further into poverty at the same time.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

Kaukab Stewart joins us remotely.