"Taking Forward the Government Economic Strategy - A Discussion Paper on Tackling Poverty, Inequality and Deprivation in Scotland", will run from now until summer and is intended to help drive forward the government’s framework for tackling poverty, which will be in place before the end of the year. 

The document also confirms targets for creating a wealthier and fairer Scotland, such as increasing the overall income and the proportion of income earned by the three lowest income deciles as a group by 2017 and narrowing the gap in participation between Scotland’s best and worst performing regions by 2017. 

Nicola Sturgeon said the debate would go “to the heart of the kind of Scotland we want to build for the future.” 

She continued: "As I speak, almost one in every five Scots - 880,000 - is living in poverty. This is quite simply unacceptable - a tragedy which we will not tolerate and that is why making poverty history in Scotland will be central to everything we do. 

"Last November we published our spending plans and our Government Economic Strategy. These are the twin pillars of a new age of ambition in Scotland. 

She added that the strategy recognised that economic growth is not only about growing the economy and releasing Scotland’s entrepreneurial and creative talents, but also sharing that increased prosperity to ensure that all in Scotland can flourish. 

Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, which along with COSLA was closely involved in developing the discussion document said he hoped the consultation will help identify how all those with an interest in tackling poverty can play their role. 

He continued: “"We are particularly pleased that the Scottish Government is showing real commitment to finding ways to include the voices of those who are directly affected by poverty in this discussion process.  

"We share the Scottish Government's desire to get to the root causes of poverty: unemployment, low pay, lack of services and discrimination. We are hopeful that this new discussion paper will stimulate the ideas and solutions that will ultimately deliver a real impact on poverty and disadvantage in Scotland." 

COSLA spokesperson for Community Wellbeing and Health, Councillor Harry McGuigan, added:  "Social Inclusion, including the anti-poverty agenda, is a key priority for COSLA members.  We will be working in partnership with the Scottish Government to consult on poverty and disadvantage in Scotland as a first step in developing an approach that achieves both National and Local priorities.   

"This discussion paper points to the need for a focus on prevention as well as mitigating the effects of poverty and what is needed to move people out of poverty.  COSLA welcomes the opportunity to seek stakeholder views on what an anti-poverty framework for Scotland should look like." 

While Douglas Hamilton, head of policy and research in Scotland at Save the Children said that we must not give up hope of eradicating child poverty completely. 

"Save the Children eagerly awaits the Scottish government's poverty strategy. The strategy must prioritise any child living in poverty and outline the steps they will take to eradicate child poverty. 

“Progress has stalled and parents in Scotland are being forced to make impossible decisions between such basic provisions as providing an adequate meal or putting on the heating.  

“But we must not give up hope. It is entirely realistic for the Scottish government to meet targets. It is possible, if they act now." 

Today’s announcement from the Scottish Government follows yesterday’s roundtable discussions in Westminster on child poverty in Scotland, which saw UK ministers, Scottish children’s organisations and MPs come together to share information on tackling child poverty and provide a forum for the views and concerns of some of the main Scottish campaigning organisations.

Scotland Office Minister David Cairns said that the UK government has a legitimate and vital role to play in tackling child poverty, as many of the direct levers for doing so, such as the benefits and tax credit system sit with the UK Government.

He added:  “This is a problem that cannot be tackled in isolation but requires coherent work not only right across Government, the Scottish Executive and local government but from the voluntary and private sectors as well. We intend this to mark the start of regular engagement to facilitate an ongoing dialogue between Scottish organisations working on tackling child poverty, government Ministers and senior Members of Parliament representing Scottish constituencies .”

The full Scottish Government discussion paper, "Taking Forward the Government Economic Strategy - A Discussion Paper on Tackling Poverty, Inequality and Deprivation in Scotland", can be found here