To ask the Scottish Government how its investment in fairer futures partnerships will help to tackle child poverty. (S6O-03774)

Through our investment in expanding our fairer futures partnerships, we will work with local authorities to help families get the support that matters to them, focusing on family wellbeing, income maximisation and support for education and sustained employment. It includes a range of services working together across childcare, education, health and social care, housing and employment, the third sector and beyond. The work will develop practical examples and tools to support more effective service delivery that can be used to tackle child poverty across Scotland.

Before I go on to my supplementary question, with members’ indulgence, I would like to mention the passing of Councillor Kenny McLean, who was a councillor when I was the leader of Glasgow City Council. He was a hard worker for his constituents in his ward of Partick East. He was tireless in working for Glasgow, and he was a huge supporter of making Scotland a better place through independence. More importantly, he was a great man, and he will be sadly missed by his family and everybody who knew him. [ Applause .]

With devolved finances tighter than ever as a result of the United Kingdom Government’s decision, how does the cabinet secretary anticipate that fairer futures partnerships will help to laser-focus Scotland’s constrained resources and public services on the mission to eradicate child poverty?

I associate myself with James Dornan’s remarks about Councillor McLean. He and I were parliamentary researchers in the first intake to Parliament in 1999, and I remember him fondly. His words of wisdom will be greatly missed by me and others.

Despite facing the most challenging financial circumstances since devolution, we are determined to drive forward the national mission to end child poverty. The investment in our fairer futures partnerships will provide a driver to enable local authorities to test and improve how they deliver services, and thus better support families. In that way, the practical examples and tools that are developed will be able to be shared much more widely than simply among the partnership organisations that take part. That is a very important part of our public service reform programme.