Clause 5
Child Poverty Bill
4:15 pm
Andrew Selous (Shadow Minister, Work and Pensions; South West Bedfordshire, Conservative)
The hon. Gentleman has done the Committee a service in tabling the amendment. I am minded to support it, if he is willing to press it to a Division. He makes an entirely fair point. It is now 2009; it is six years to 2015, which is a long time to wait. If we are to have a definition, we need to know what it is sooner rather than later, so that we can drive policy in a sensible direction. I cannot think of any good reason why the setting of the target should be left so late, so I listen with interest to the Minister’s defence of the 2015 date.