Eric, Thank you for spelling it out, you are right when you say, don`t underestimate the level of child poverty in the UK, school teachers have told me of children at their schools like little Gemma.

Barnardos hardly went to the trouble of compiling this report if it couldn`t be substantiated.

Certainly we are not at the level of third world standards, but leaving the task of elimanating this poverty to the various governments is going to be a slow process, the odd kick up the rump from charities such as Bernardos may make them move. Ard Mhacha.