Poverty focus on campaign trail

The parties have been outlining their positions on poverty

World poverty is set to dominate the election agenda in Scotland.

All four parties concentrated on the issue and set out their proposals as part of World Poverty Day on Sunday.

A new poll, commissioned by the Make Poverty History coalition, suggests the majority of people in Scotland feel it is an important election issue.

Scotland fared very strongly in the YouGov survey, with 79% believing that politicians and their parties must do more to end extreme poverty.

Scottish respondents seemed to show the most commitment to ending poverty worldwide with 72% taking action against the issue since the last election in 2001.

Who does what - Westminster or Holyrood?

The results also showed that 64% feel the UK should lead the fight against global poverty while a further 81% think it and other rich countries and institutions should cancel the unpayable debts of poorer countries.

The Make Poverty History coalition has called on the world's leading governments to meet a target of committing 0.7% of their national income to international aid.

Almost a quarter of those polled want the UK to reach the figure by the end of next year.

The Scottish National Party said it is committed to meeting the target within the lifetime of the next parliament with a long term goal of raising the level to 1%.

Words from the UK parties are not enough, action is needed and it is needed now Alex Salmond SNP

Leader Alex Salmond said the time for talk was over and action was now needed to help impoverished people across the globe.

He said: "The UK's pledge to pay 0.7% of gross national income is now 35 years old and yet the government spends only half that sum on aid.

"That means that since making the pledge in 1970 the UK Government has under spent its aid budget massively and short-changed the world's poorest by £76bn.

"Words from the UK parties are not enough, action is needed and it is needed now.

"The SNP will raise Scotland's contribution to international development to 0.7% of national income immediately with a long-term goal of raising that to 1%."

'Moral obligation'

Both Labour and the Conservatives have plans to meet the target by 2013

Speaking about his party's target, Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie said the UK had a "moral obligation" to help the world's poor.

He said: "Conservatives will work towards increasing spending on aid and ensure that it is spent better.

"That is why we will take some powers over the spending of international aid back from Brussels to Britain.

World Poverty Day challenges all parties to tell the UK electorate how they would take leadership to reduce the tragedy of poverty in our world Barbara Stocking Oxfam

"We want control of how our money is spent - at present too much of it is wasted and is not focussed on those who need it the most.

"Crucially, we will encourage the expansion of free trade and press the EU to reduce tariffs on imports from poor countries and abandon other protectionist measures which harm the development of their economies."

Labour set out its own stall on Saturday when Chancellor Gordon Brown outlined his party's proposals at a news conference in Edinburgh on international development.

Mr Brown said Labour would create an international financing operation to tackle killer diseases and encourage other countries to hit the 0.7% aid target.

'Advancing together'

"For Labour, the fight against global poverty is a moral issue," he said.

"We believe that people, however distantly, feel the pain of others.

"We see that people believe in something bigger than themselves but they see progress as not one advancing at the expense of others, but of all of us advancing together."

He added that under the party's plans it would spend £1.5bn over the next three years to combat Aids in developing countries.

Labour may promise more spending on aid but we are all used to Tony Blair's Labour manifesto promises being broken Lib Dems

The Liberal Democrats have set 2011 as their own deadline for reaching the international aid target.

On Sunday the party said it would achieve the UN target by that date.

A spokesman claimed the Tories had slashed spending on aid while they were in office from 0.52% of national income in 1979 to 0.26% in 1996.

He added: "Thirty five years ago, Britain committed to spending 0.7% of national income on aid and we're still nowhere close.

"Labour may promise more spending on aid but we are all used to Tony Blair's Labour manifesto promises being broken.

"After eight years under Tony Blair, aid spending is still stuck at 0.35% of national income."

'Increasing concern'

Chair of the Make Poverty History coalition in Scotland, Mary Cullen, said: "This poll tells us that the public are taking action on global poverty.

"Their campaigning work over the last five years has made global poverty an election issue.

"They want to see the next government do more on tackling the issues of trade, debt and aid.

"World poverty is of increasing concern to the Scottish public with hundreds of thousands of Scots deeply concerned that the world's most powerful politicians aren't taking more urgent action to end the scandal where 50,000 people die every day from preventable poverty."

The Oxfam charity is just one of the 401 aid agencies, faith groups, unions and other organisations which make up the coalition.

Its director, Barbara Stocking, said: "World Poverty Day challenges all parties to tell the UK electorate how they would take leadership to reduce the tragedy of poverty in our world.

"We hope all voters will listen and cast their vote wisely."

The YouGov poll was carried out between 19 and 21 April, 2005, from a sample of 1,474 people.

Westminster powers Asylum/immigration Benefits Broadcasting Defence Employment legislation Energy Foreign policy Pensions Treasury UK economy

Holyrood powers Agriculture Arts/culture Criminal justice Economic development Education Environment Health Housing Local government Transport

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