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Views sought on tackling poverty
01/05/2008
A wide-ranging discussion on tackling poverty, inequality and deprivation has been extended until June 30, 2008.
It is looking at how economic growth can be harnessed to make Scotland wealthier and fairer for all.
At its launch, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon, said the debate would go "to the heart of the kind of Scotland we want to build for the future".
The discussion document includes ambitious targets to create a wealthier and fairer Scotland.
These targets are to increase the overall income and the proportion of income earned by the three lowest income deciles as a group by 2017; and to narrow the gap in participation between Scotland's best and worst performing regions by 2017.
A new framework will be developed across departments to ensure that, all in Scotland can share in the opportunities provided by sustainable economic growth.
The new Single Outcome Agreements with councils will mean this approach will also be shared across central and local government.
A central theme of the approach will be to make sure as many people as are able are in quality employment, to tackle the root causes of poverty. This will be combined with help for people to overcome barriers to work that may be in their way, such as lack of skills, ill health or discrimination on grounds of race, age or gender.
To contribute to the discussion see: Tackling Poverty, Inequality and Deprivation.