Swinney points to impact on child poverty as he attends key investment summit

The First Minister has made the eradication of child poverty his top priority.

John Swinney will attend the summit on Monday (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Growing investment in Scotland would help to tackle child poverty, Scotland’s First Minister has said as he attended a summit in London.

John Swinney will seek to boost Scotland’s private investment at the event convened by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, where more than 300 industry leaders are expected.

Bringing companies to Scotland and continuing the transition to renewables, Mr Swinney said, would help to sustain public services and fight child poverty.

Since taking over as First Minister from Humza Yousaf this year, Mr Swinney has pledged to tackle the country’s stubborn child poverty rates, but has been met with one of the most perilous financial situations since devolution.

Growing our economy and achieving a just transition to net zero will, in turn, enable us to invest more in Scotland’s public services, and take further action to end child poverty

John Swinney, First Minister

“Scotland has tremendous economic potential between our abundant renewable energy resources, and the skills, knowledge and expertise of the people and companies that work here,” he said.

“Events such as this are pivotal to securing the necessary investment to unlock the benefits of that potential, such as the creation of new jobs and business opportunities for people right across the country.

“It is this kind of growth, backed by the investment certainty that our green industrial strategy provides, which will help power progress on the Scottish Government’s priorities.

“Growing our economy and achieving a just transition to net zero will, in turn, enable us to invest more in Scotland’s public services, and take further action to end child poverty.

“While Scotland is already the top UK destination for foreign direct investment outside London, there remains much more to do to achieve our aims, and I look forward to making the case for that continued investment later today.”