The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has written to ministers with responsibility for the government’s Child Poverty Strategy, expected to be published tomorrow, warning them that their failure to comply with the act is unlawful.
Under the act, parliament required that the government publish a child poverty strategy no later than 25 March 2011, and that it establish an independent Child Poverty Commission to consult during preparation of the strategy.
The Child Poverty Strategy is due to be published tomorrow (5 April), alongside the Social Mobility Strategy, but the commission has not been established and consulted.
Alison Garnham, CPAG chief executive, said: "We are astonished to find the government flouting legal requirements set by parliament and which were supported by all the ministers responsible for the strategy when the legislation was passed.
"The independent commission is crucial to ensuring ministerial accountability for an evidence-based and comprehensive child poverty strategy.
"One of the Prime Minster’s great promises before he entered office was to ‘make British poverty history’.
"We need leadership from Downing Street so that ministers do not leave the government mired in a mess of broken laws and broken promises on child poverty in Britain.
"When the Child Poverty Strategy is published tomorrow, we are calling for a clear commitment from government on the urgent establishment of the Child Poverty Commission and implementation of the act in full."
