HC Deb 31 January 2000 vol 343 cc408-9W
Mr. Dobbin

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the work of the Social Exclusion Unit. [107435]

The Prime Minister

I established the Social Exclusion Unit in December 1997. Since then it has produced reports and action plans on school exclusion and truancy, rough sleeping, poor neighbourhoods, teenage pregnancy and 16–18-year-olds not in education, employment or training.

The Unit was set up on a time-limited basis and its success was reviewed in the summer of 1999. I announced the results of this review in December 1999.

It was clear from both the quality of the Unit's work and its impact so far that there is a continuing role for it to play. I have therefore decided that it will continue in existence, and be reviewed again at the end of 2002.

I will announce a new work programme for the Unit in the summer, once its current project to develop a national strategy for neighbourhood renewal is completed.