Purnell: Child poverty is key priority
Monday, 03 Mar 2008 12:13
Work and pensions secretary James Purnell has admitted the government must do more to tackle child poverty.
He insisted meeting the target of halving the number of children living in poverty by 2010 remained a "key priority", after MPs accused the government of slipping in its progress towards the goal.
"We have done a lot, but there is still more to do," he said, having pointed out the government has lifted 600,000 children out of poverty since 1997.
"Work has been key to this success - there are now nearly three million more people in employment, and the lone parent employment rate has risen dramatically," he added.
"We are putting sustainable employment at the heart of our welfare reforms."