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WALES
New Deal (Young People)
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many individuals his Department has recruited under the New Deal for Young People. [91881]
Mr. Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart) on 25 May 1999, Official Report, column 116.
An additional three people were recruited by the Welsh Office between 25 May and 30 June. Of the eight people, six were recruited under the New Deal for 18-24s and two under the New Deal for 25-plus.
On 1 July, all staff working for the Welsh Office in Wales transferred to the National Assembly for Wales.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the Waterhouse report; if the report will be published bilingually; and if he will make a statement. [87795]
Mr. Michael:
As soon as the Tribunal of Inquiry submits its report, it will be presented to Parliament and published as quickly as possible.
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The degree of bilingual publication will be considered in the light of the desirability of early publication in the public interest and of the Welsh language scheme.
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Government plan to issue the concordats for the National Assembly for Wales; and if he will make a statement. [90897]
Mr. Michael:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) on 7 July 1999, Official Report, column 1019.
Mr. Alan Williams:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average time for a substantive reply to be sent to hon. Members' correspondence; what proportion takes more than (a) four weeks, (b) six weeks and (c) eight weeks; and what is his estimate of the number of letters received in a year from hon. Members. [92452]
Mr. Michael:
I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron) on 11 June 1999, Official Report, columns 403-06, which sets out performance against departmental targets for answering correspondence from right hon. and hon. Members in the 1998 calendar year. More detailed information about the percentage of correspondence replied to within the time scales specified could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Alan Williams:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information has to be supplied to the EU Commission before 1 November relating to the West Wales Objective One status application; and if he will make a statement. [92377]
Mr. Michael:
By 1 November, the National Assembly will need to submit a full single programming document for objective 1 to the European Commission. This will need to meet the Commission's requirements as laid out in the Vade Mecum.
Objective 1 status has already been secured. Release of the funds depends on the acceptance by the Commission of the submitted plan.
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