§ 28. Mrs. FyfeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he plans to take to ensure that there is a strategic approach within the Scottish Office to tackling social exclusion. [28096]
§ Mr. MacdonaldOn 8 December, my right hon. Friend announced that he was setting up a Social Exclusion Network to co-ordinate Government action on social exclusion in Scotland. The Network consists of senior officials from Scottish Office Departments, the Employment Service and the Benefits Agency. Its work will be steered by my noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for agriculture, the environment and fisheries, who will report regularly and directly to my right hon. Friend on progress.
On 2 February we issued a consultation paper, "Social Exclusion in Scotland", the responses to which will inform our approach to tackling exclusion.