"ANY CHILD LIVING IN POVERTY IS UNACCEPTABLE" - SMITH

1.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 30th Sep 2008

A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has shown that North East Fife has the lowest instance of child poverty in Fife. According to the study 12% of children in the constituency are in families on out of work benefits.

Commenting on the report, local MSP Iain Smith said:

"Whilst it is encouraging that North East Fife's child poverty figure is almost half of the national average it is still too high in this day and age.

"It is important to remember that despite the relative affluence, there are pockets of North East Fife where there are significantly more instances of child poverty than indicated in the wider area's figure. Any child living in poverty is unacceptable, and the Governments in both London and Edinburgh need to be doing more to address the spiraling cost of living that hits the poorest hardest."

Ends.

Notes to editors:

The UK average for child poverty is 20%.

Other Fife constituency rates are as follows:

Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (Gordon Brown MP, Lab) 24%

Glenrothes / Central Fife 27%

Dunfermline and West Fife (Willie Rennie MP, Lib Dem) 17%