Members' Business — S6M-10526 Collette Stevenson: Challenge Poverty Week 2023

That the Parliament recognises Challenge Poverty Week 2023, which is coordinated by the Poverty Alliance, Scotland’s anti-poverty network, and which runs from 2 to 8 October; notes that activities, events and actions will take place across Scotland to highlight the realities of, and solutions to, poverty, as well as increasing public support for tackling poverty; understands that the week emphasises the importance of a number of key policy asks, to help to unlock people from the grip of poverty, including the role of communities, access to food and adequate incomes; believes that over one million people in Scotland, including 250,000 children, are living in the grip of poverty and that the ongoing cost of living crisis continues to pull even more into hardship; notes the view that governments, politicians, civil society and communities all have a role to play in solving poverty; understands that particular groups of people, including low-paid women, lone parents, disabled people and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately experiencing poverty; notes the view that poverty in Scotland can be solved by utilising all levers to boost incomes and reduce the impact of the cost of living crisis; further notes the view that people in Scotland support action to end poverty and believe in compassion and social justice; celebrates the work undertaken by organisations and communities across Scotland to stem what it sees as the rising tide of poverty, and notes the view that people across Scotland, including all MSPs, should attend and support events and activities in their areas to mark Challenge Poverty Week 2023.