Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP

Working to end child poverty in Britain is an important pledge from this government and so I was pleased to re-open the refurbished Save the Children charity shop on Dalry Road last month.

I met some of the 150 volunteers from three local companies and a high school who’ve spent over 800 hours of their time cleaning, painting and putting up shelves.  They showed me the new stock they’d selected to sell which gave me a good chance to get some Christmas cards!

There are now 600,000 fewer children in relative poverty than in 1997.  And child poverty is falling faster in Britain than in any other European country.

We’ve achieved this by putting in place a range of measures to support families with children.  Over 600,000 Scottish families receive child benefit.  In the budget, we announced that the rate for the eldest child will rise to £20 a week in 2010, a 26% increase since 1997.

This year I announced that child tax credits will rise by £25 next year in addition to the £150 rise already announced – a total of £175 per year increase from April which will make a big difference to families.  There will be another increase in 2010 so that for families on low incomes, children’s benefits and tax credits will be worth at least £3500 a year for the first child.

And of course other measures like the minimum wage, increase to maternity pay, free childcare places for 3 and 4 year olds and the chance for flexible working all help.

There are 2.6 million more people in work than in 1997 and this has been crucial.  We know that children of lone parents who are not in work are over five times more likely to be in poverty than children of lone parents who are in work.  Work is the best and most sustainable route out of poverty.

We’ve made progress but there’s still more to be done if we want to reach our goal to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020 and we will continue to tackle poverty, extend opportunities and increase fairness.

The volunteers told me how much they’d enjoyed the experience which gave them the chance to give something back to the community.  Some of them have even signed up to help in the shop in the led up to Christmas!

Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish Gorgie Dalry Gazette readers a very happy Christmas and a good New Year.