Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP

It was good to meet and talk with local people in Wester Hailes this month at the SCOREscotland launch and at the bingo club in Westside Plaza.

The West Edinburgh Multicultural Organisation was part of the Wester Hailes Representative Council.  I was pleased to officially launch their new name and identity SCOREscotland (Strengthening Communities for Race Equality in Scotland).

SCOREscotland is a voluntary organisation serving minority ethnic communities of west Edinburgh.  The services they provide include advice and support to help improve access to public services and information as such as housing, tax credits and financial matters.  They also provide opportunities for children and young people and have set up a new youth club in the WHALE Centre, Knots and Crosses.

The Board members are all local volunteers.  Khalida Hussain, the Chair, explained to me that their priority is to address the needs of vulnerable individuals and families and to work with agencies like the police, housing, education and social work to ensure fair treatment for people.

I also visited the Wester Hailes bingo club.  Speaking to some of the regular visitors, they told me how much they enjoy the social side of playing with the opportunity to meet up with friends.

This month in the House of Commons we had the Queen's Speech ceremony.  Beneath all the pomp and ceremony is the serious business of the Government responding to the needs and aspirations of people by delivering new and better opportunities for all.  People in Scotland do benefit from the new legislation which remains highly relevant to all people in the UK. 

In workplaces, we’ll bring in further legislation to support families by extending the right to flexible working.  The Employment Bill will take new steps to protect vulnerable workers by increasing penalties for non-payment of the National Minimum Wage and crack down on abuses that can occur in the agency work sector.  And the Pensions Bill will place a duty on every employer to contribute to good quality workplace pensions for their employees.

But importantly, we will continue to build on the foundation of a strong and stable economy, with low inflation, sound public finances, high levels of employment, and interest rates kept as low as possible.