Sunday, 22 September 2013

Westminster Hiding Poverty Figures


MORE INTERESTED IN ERADICATING STATS THAN POVERTY

The SNP have accused the UK Government of trying to hide the devastating impact of their welfare policies by limiting the amount of data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The ONS have now released a consultation on which statistics should be shelved following severe budget cuts made by the Tory-Lib Dem coalition.

Commenting, SNP Westminster welfare spokesperson Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP said:

"The Tory-led government at Westminster is more interested in eradicating the poverty statistics than eradicating poverty.

“The Westminster Government is trying to cover up the fact their policies are raising the cost of living and increasing poverty – the UK is one of the most unequal societies in the developed world.

“It doesn’t have to be this way, and it won’t be this way in an independent Scotland. Scottish MPs and the Holyrood government have already made their opposition to these Tory welfare cuts clear, and a majority of people in Scotland believe that the Scottish Government - not Westminster - would be best at deciding welfare policy for Scotland."