Local indicator will ensure Child Poverty Bill duties are met

The bill was launched last week, led by the Treasury, in a bid to enshrine the government's pledge to eradicate child poverty by 2020 in law.

But concerns have been raised over a lack of clarity in terms of how the government would be held to account.

A spokesman for the Child Poverty Action Group said that it would like to see this area probed more as the bill runs its course through parliament. Anne Longfield, chief executive of charity 4Children, said: "What we don't want is a spotlight to be put on local authorities when there is no accountability at a national level."

A spokeswoman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: "Local authorities will be expected to implement the local duties in the bill and progress will be assessed through the current framework. The government is working to formulate a new local indicator that will measure progress on in-work, as well as out-of-work, poverty."

She added that if progress is not on track or any targets are at risk of not being met, the government must publicly state in the reports and strategy why this has occurred and what will be done about it. "The government will be held to account by Parliament and external public pressure," she added.