THE Scottish government must invest more in social security to meet its target of slashing child poverty by the end of the decade, according to a leading think tank.

The warning came in a new IPPR Scotland report, launched just days before the Scottish government is expected to publish data revealing whether or not it has reached its interim target to reduce child poverty from 24 per cent last year to 18 per cent.

First Minister John Swinney has repeatedly stated that eradicating child poverty was his “key mission” in office, with his government aiming to cut rates to 10 per cent by 2030.