§ Mr. PondTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the(a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. [23339]
§ Mr. HainThe Welsh Office continually evaluates its policies using a variety of methods. Our objective is to spread prosperity throughout Wales, and to offer educational and employment opportunities for all.
593WThe best way of improving the living standards of most people at the bottom of the income distribution is to help them into work, and we are implementing a range of policies under the New Deal to achieve this aim.
We have also established a Social Exclusion Programme to help co-ordinate action across the Welsh Office and to find new and more integrated ways of tackling the worst problems.