Child poverty in the north of England

That this House is deeply concerned by the warnings of the Child of the North APPG report on Child Poverty and the Cost of Living Crisis that the aftermath of covid-19, increasing child poverty and cost of living pressures has pushed vulnerable families in the north of England to the edge and created a situation which could see disastrous effects for generations; notes that children in the north have a nearly 34 per cent chance of living in poverty, with some areas tackling levels above 40 per cent, alongside being more likely to live in food and fuel insecure homes than those in the rest of England; and urges the Government to act on the report recommendations including increasing child benefit by up to £20 a week, expanding Free School Meals to all children whose families receive Universal Credit, expanding and auto-enrolling the Healthy Start Scheme, ensuring consistent food provisions during school holidays and actions to improve the energy efficiency of homes.