HC Deb 16 February 2000 vol 344 cc597-8W
16. Mrs. Lawrence

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the development of policies to promote social inclusion in Wales. [108926]

17. Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the development of policies to promote social inclusion in Wales. [108927]

Mr. Hanson

This Government are committed to tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion. My "right" hon. Friend and I are keen to ensure that central Government and the devolved administration in Wales are working together in partnership to promote social inclusion.

I attended the launch of the Government's new Anti-Poverty Strategy in Wales with the Assembly Health Secretary, Jane Hutt, in September. The Assembly is committed to promoting social inclusion and ensuring that strategies, objectives and targets are integrated and give a high priority to the most disadvantaged.

The Joint Ministerial Group on Poverty, on which both the Assembly and the Wales Office are represented, had been set up to tackle poverty and social exclusion in a co-ordinated way.