Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce child poverty in (a) Stockton North constituency and (b) the Tees Valley Combined Authority area.

Tackling child poverty is a priority for this Government. Our recent focus has been on supporting people financially during these unprecedented times. The Department for Work and Pensions quickly introduced a package of support, including welfare changes worth £9.3 billion this year to help people with the financial consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our long-term ambition remains to level up across the country and continue to tackle child poverty through our reformed welfare system that works with the labour market to encourage parents to move into and progress in work wherever possible.

Our £30bn Plan for Jobs is the first step on the ladder to achieving this and will support economic recovery through new schemes including Kickstart and Job Entry Targeted Support. We are also doubling the number of work coaches who, through our Jobcentre network, will provide more people with the tailored support they need to move back into work and towards financial independence.

The Government launched its Plan for Jobs in response the impact of the pandemic. Progress can be seen in the recent launch of Kickstart, the new Job Entry Target Support (JETS), an extension of the Work and Health Programme and the expansion of the Sector-based Work Academy Programme. A New Job Finding Support Service, involving the private sector recruiters, will also be introduced.