§ Lord Pattenasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 3 April (WA 108–9), whether the remit of the Ministerial Network on Social Exclusion allows it to consider rural social exclusion; what were the dates of the visits made by the Minister for the Cabinet Office to the countryside in the Duchy of Lancaster; and what were the purposes of those visits. [HL1953]
§ The Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)In my previous Answer on the 3 April (WA 108–9), I explained that the remit of the network is to chase progress across government on implementation of past SEU reports and to act as an informal sounding board for the unit's future work programme. This has yet to be decided.
157WAMy right honourable friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office met with various people during her visit to the Duchy of Lancaster on 25 February 2000. As well as Duchy business, topics discussed included rural issues.
§ Lord Pattenasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their definition of a ministerial network, as in the case of that chaired by the Minister for the Cabinet Office in respect of social exclusion; and how such a network differs from a committee. [HL2004]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonA Cabinet Committee relieves the pressure on the Cabinet itself by settling business in a smaller forum or at a lower level, when possible, or at least by clarifying issues and defining points of disagreement. It acts by implied devolution of authority from the Cabinet and its decisions therefore have the same formal status as decisions by the full Cabinet.
The ministerial network is an informal network of Ministers from departments that work closely with the SEU who chase progress on implementation of previous SEU reports and act as an informal sounding board for the unit's future work programme.