Views
Tackling the scourge of poverty - for The Inverness Courier
SPEECHES in recent weeks by Ming Campbell and David Cameron have, quite rightly, pushed the issue of the fight against poverty in Britain towards the top of the political agenda.
The fact that there are millions of children and adults in Britain still living in poverty makes fighting this scourge on society a moral responsibility for all politicians.
Last week’s visit by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee to the Highlands emphasised the often hidden issue of poverty in rural areas. As a member of the committee I was delighted that other members accepted my suggestion that we start our inquiry into “Poverty in Scotland” in the Highlands, and I am very grateful to Highland Council for organising a wide-ranging programme that took us to meet communities in Bonar Bridge, Balintore and Merkinch as well as the formal hearings in Inverness.
While there are some such areas in the Highlands, poverty in rural areas tends to be much more thinly spread and often hidden behind closed doors. As the communities we met made abundantly clear, incomes in the Highlands are much lower and this is exacerbated by the high cost of both road and domestic fuel.
Fuel poverty is much more prevalent in the Highlands yet one of the most astonishing facts that was given to the committee was that the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation — the formula which drives funding allocations to poorer areas — takes no account of fuel poverty.
From the Highlands point of view this formula targets funds at concentrations of deprivation, and so means that the north, where poverty is spread thinly over a wide area, does not receive a fair share of funding to tackle disadvantage and deprivation. This is an issue which needs further scrutiny, but factoring in fuel poverty would certainly make a difference.
It is equally clear that there are some government policy changes that could make a big difference to poverty in the Highlands. For someone on a low income in a rural community, a car is a necessity and not a luxury. The reduction in fuel tax for rural areas that I have been pressing for would make a real difference to this huge cost for poorer people.
We need to invest much more in services that help people get off benefit and into work. In Merkinch the committee saw an exhibition of the huge range of local initiatives to help people to tackle the wide range of barriers of barriers to work, by improving health, boosting confidence and skills and tackling prejudice and discrimination.
I believe that much more needs to be done, in particular, to bring down the barriers faced by people with mental health problems. Mental ill-health is now the single biggest reason for people claiming incapacity benefit, but where a more joined-up approach between health and employment services could make a big difference. The Scottish Executive is far ahead of the UK government with its anti-stigma campaign.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
I hope that all Courier readers have a very peaceful and happy Christmas. I am looking forward to spending the festive season in the Highlands. I will be holding a number of surgeries both before Christmas and early in the new year, but if people need to get in touch urgently please call my office on 01463 711280 or e-mail me on [email protected]
Posted on: 19/12/2006
