§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his assessment is of the impact to date of the Social Exclusion Unit; and if he will make a statement. [2131]
§ The Deputy Prime MinisterThe Social Exclusion Unit was set up by the Prime Minister to provide solutions to specific social exclusion problems. It has completed reports on reducing truancy and school exclusions, cutting teenage pregnancy rates, reducing numbers of rough sleepers and of 16 to 18-year-olds not in training, work or education, as well as co-ordinating the work of 18 Policy Action Teams and developing the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal.
The initial review of the unit in 1999 found the quality of its reports to be exceptional and its working practices to be a strength. There is now concrete evidence that the implementation of the unit's policies is making a significant impact on the ground.
Examples include falling rates of permanent exclusion from school (down by nearly a third in 1999–2000 compared with 1996–97) and reduced numbers sleeping rough (down by more than a third since 1998). 1999 teenage pregnancy rates for under-16s and under-18s dropped on the previous year (down 7 per cent. and 4 per cent. respectively). Fewer teenage parents were out of training, learning or work last year compared with the previous four. And the 10 to 20 year strategy for England's poorest neighbourhoods is now being implemented by the new Neighbourhood Renewal Unit.
The unit is currently working on four projects—on reducing rates of reoffending among ex-prisoners, on young runaways, on improving the educational attainment of children in care, and on transport and social exclusion.