Action call over poverty figures

The executive is targeting funding on the most deprived communities

An analysis of deprivation has revealed that more needs to be done to tackle the problem, according to campaigners.

The Scottish Executive study showed one in four older teenagers in the poorest communities were not in education, training or employment.

Figures also showed that mortality rates for the under-75s were three times higher than in affluent areas.

The Child Poverty Action Group said more could be done to increase incomes and improve services.

CPAG head, John Dickie, said the report laid out the "depressing" impact of poverty on the most disadvantaged citizens.

"The executive can be doing much, much more to increase disposable incomes and improve health, education and transport services," he said.

We have to target resources on those areas that are most in need Malcolm Chisholm Communities Minister

"Extending free school meals to all primary school kids would be a good start - ensuring every child, wherever they live, had at least one healthy meal a day."

Speaking on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said the report would help form policy.

"The lesson of these statistics is that we have to target resources on those areas that are most in need," he said.

"The free school meal policy is an example of how not to do it because it would be another universal provision and that would not be a sensible use of money."

He said the executive's new community regeneration fund would target more than £300m over three years at the 15% most deprived areas in Scotland.

However, Scottish National Party MSP Christine Grahame said targeting resources did not work.

She said the executive was "tinkering round the edges" and only an independent Scotland could have the "radical impact required".

Creating jobs

"If we had those levers of power we could generate an economy that could provide jobs," she said.

Mr Chisholm said the SNP was right to focus on employment and that for most people work was the best route out of poverty.

He added: "We have record numbers of people in work even in Glasgow where the greatest concentrations of deprivation are.

"And we've seen a 15% increase in the employment rate over the last decade."

But he admitted there was more to do and said the executive would launch an "employability framework" before the end of the year, which would focus on those who were furthest from the labour market.