Michael Marra has pressed the Scottish Government for a multi-year, cross-party plan to tackle child poverty and homelessness, securing confirmation that further discussions will follow.
The Scottish Labour leader raised the issue at First Minister’s Questions on 8 October after meeting John Swinney two days earlier.
Marra argued that an agreement needed to extend beyond a single budget and involve parties across the Parliament in getting progress towards child-poverty targets back on track.
Swinney welcomed their discussions and said further talks would be scheduled. He invited Marra to link proposed measures with the Government’s budget decisions.
Marra also challenged the Government over the risk that wider public-service restructuring could distract from tackling poverty and the housing emergency.
The exchange advances the discussion about cross-party cooperation. No joint plan, spending settlement or new poverty-reduction programme was agreed in the chamber.
