Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Child Poverty

Wednesday 4 March 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Lorraine Beavers asked about steps taken to help tackle child poverty in Wales, citing the Labour Government's new child poverty strategy.
  • The Secretary of State agreed that scrapping the two-child cap will benefit many children and criticized the Conservative party for its policies.
  • Alex Easton inquired about prioritizing public spending on measures directly reducing child poverty, including social housing and childcare investment.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Lorraine Beavers Lab Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Wales Children & Families
Context

Child poverty is a significant issue in Wales, with many families struggling. The Conservative government's policies have been criticised for exacerbating this problem.

Question

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle child poverty in Wales. Too many children are held back by the scourge of poverty, wilfully created by the Conservative party.

Answer from Anna McMorrin

Too many children are held back by the scourge of poverty, wilfully created by the Conservative party. Our new child poverty strategy will lift more than half a million children out of poverty by 2030 across the UK, delivering the largest expected reduction since records began. Removing the two-child limit will benefit thousands of children in Wales.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific steps with Cabinet colleagues to address child poverty in Wales were not detailed.

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Q2 Lorraine Beavers Lab Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Children & Families
Context

The UK Labour Government's decision to scrap the two-child limit will benefit numerous children in Wales, while the Conservative and Reform desire to reintroduce the cap is seen as unjustifiably cruel.

Question

Our UK Labour Government's decision to scrap the wicked Conservative two-child cap will benefit 1,700 children in my constituency, and 69,000 children in Wales. Does the Secretary of State agree with me that the Conservative and Reform desire to reintroduce the cap is unjustifiably cruel and will drag children back into poverty?

Answer from Anna McMorrin

I completely agree with my hon. Friend. It has and always will be children who pay the price for cruel policies, like those introduced under the Tories. I am proud that, as a Labour Government rooted in the values of fairness, we have scrapped the two-child limit, benefiting 69,000 children in Wales, and giving children their future back and hope for a better life. It is a surprise to no one that the Conservatives and Reform would reintroduce the cap and yet again plunge more children into poverty at a single stroke. Remember, their decision was never about work or saving money—

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific agreement on the policy and its impact was not directly addressed.

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Q3 Alex Easton Ind North Down
Northern Ireland Wales Children & Families
Context

If the Government were serious about reducing child poverty, they would prioritise public spending on measures that directly reduce child poverty, particularly investment in social housing and childcare.

Question

Does the Minister accept that if the Government were serious about reducing child poverty in Wales, and across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, they would prioritise public spending on measures that directly reduce child poverty, in particular investment in social housing and childcare?

Answer from Anna McMorrin

This Government are completely serious about reducing child poverty. I am proud that we are a Government who are putting children first. Remember, the decision the Tories took was not about the policy; it was simply about politics. We are putting children first.

Not addressed: The specific acceptance of prioritising public spending on social housing and childcare was not addressed.

How: Putting Children First

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