Legislation setting targets for the eradication of child poverty in Scotland has been tabled at Holyrood.

The Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill will set a series of statutory targets to reduce, and ultimately wipe out, what minsters call a “systemic problem”.

Studies show more than 200,000 children in Scotland are growing up in poverty.

Equalities Secretary Angela Constance said this was “utterly unacceptable”, adding that the government is “utterly committed” to tackling the problem.

The legislation sets an initial target of cutting the number of children in relative poverty to less than 10% by 2030, and in absolute poverty to less than 5%. As of December 2016, the rates stood at 22% and 21% respectively.

The government said it would publish a three-year delivery plan by April 2018, which will be updated every five years alongside annual reports to measure progress.

Poverty has been shown to be the driver of inequalities from educational attainment to the health of children.

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