Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with the Department of Communities in Northern Ireland on support for families in relative poverty.

Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish the child poverty strategy in the Spring.

Officials have already held discussions with the Department of Communities. The Taskforce Co-Chairs have written to First Ministers to set out their aspirations for partnership working across our four nations and there will be regular engagement as the Strategy takes shape.

In developing the UK-wide Child Poverty Strategy, we will draw on both reserved and devolved policy levers and work closely with Devolved Governments, recognising the progress that has been made on their poverty strategies and policies.