Committee to study child poverty on both sides of Belfast’s peace line

A HOUSE of Commons committee is to visit Belfast to study child poverty on both sides of the peace line.

delegation from the Works and Pensions committee will travel to the Falls and Shankill Roads today to talk to community workers about facilities for young people.

The committee of MPs, which is chaired by Liberal Democrat Sir Archy Kirkwood, has been conducting a child poverty inquiry since July last year.

The MPs will meet representatives of the West Belfast Economic Forum, the Falls Community Council, Citizens Advice Bureaux and the Sure Start program.

Sinn Féin Assembly member Michael Ferguson, who was among those who have helped plan the visit, said he hoped the committee come away with a firm appreciation of the problems in west Belfast.

"I think it is a very good thing that the committee has taken up the invitation to talk to community activists and hear at first hand our problems," the West Belfast MLA added yesterday.

"If you look at west Belfast, you have a population of 120,000 from Lagmore to the Falls. In one area alone, Poleglass, there are 10,000 living there and there are 6,000 under the age of 16 and yet you cannot find one playground for them there.

"From the Shankill to the Falls, this constituency has one of the highest populations of young people and you have problems with unemployment and crime.

"Obviously we would have liked to have been in a position where the Assembly could have been dealing with these issues but in the absence of that I would hope the committee will come away with a greater sense of what the communities in the Falls and Shankill need.

"I would hope they will reflect that in their report and ensure these communities get the funding priorities they need to improve the quality of life there."

The number of children in poverty has increased substantially over the past few decades.

Figures show that 3.8 million children nationally 30% of all children are classed as deprived.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair's government has pledged to end child poverty within 20 years, to reduce child poverty by half by 2010 and reduce it by at least a quarter (to 3.1 million) this year.

The Works and Pensions Committee's inquiry has been focussing on a number of issues:

lThe way levels of child poverty are assessed and the government's annual poverty report, Opportunity For All.

lThe extent of child poverty and the causes of it.

lThe impact on children and families are specific groups particularly affected?

lThe extent and causes of regional variations in child poverty.