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Salmon Farming

Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of salmon farming undertakings in the UK were UK-owned in 1995; and if she will make a statement. [154143]

Mrs. Liddell: Details of the ultimate ownership of salmon farming businesses are not routinely collected.

However, a study on the economic impact of the salmon farming industry, published in 1999 by the then Scottish Office, reported that a one-off survey of the Scottish industry had found that in 1996, 19 companies, representing at that time 47 per cent. of salmon production, were foreign-owned.

Salmon farming is devolved and is now a matter for the Scottish Executive.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Regulation of Investigatory Powers

(Scotland Bill)

Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Advocate-General for Scotland on what date she notified the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament that she did not intend to refer the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Bill to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. [147384]

The Advocate-General: My Legal Secretary wrote to the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament on 22 September 2000 to notify him that I did not intend to make a reference in respect of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Bill to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council under section 33(1) of the Scotland Act 1998.

21 Mar 2001 : Column: 271W

WALES

Poverty in Wales

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) people and (b) children were living in poverty in Wales in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000 and (v) 2001. [153166]

Mr. Bayley: I have been asked to reply.

Poverty and social exclusion are complex multi- dimensional issues, affecting many aspects of people's lives--including income, health, housing, the quality of their environment and opportunities to learn. There is no single measure that can capture the complex problems that need to be overcome.

However a number of these aspects have seen significant improvement in Wales since 1997. For example, the number of unemployed people in Wales has fallen by around 35,000 from nearly 90,000 in February 1997 to around 55,000 in February 2001. Between 1997 and 2000 the number of children in families in Wales in receipt of out of work benefits has fallen from 160,000 to around 145,000. The proportion of 11-year-olds in Wales achieving level 4 or above at Key Stage 2 has risen in English from 64 per cent. in 1997 to 74 per cent. in 2000 and in Mathematics from 64 per cent. in 1997 to 69 per cent. in 2000.

The annual report, "Opportunity for all", available in the Library, sets out and monitors the UK Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion. The UK Government are working in partnership with the National Assembly for Wales to tackle poverty and social exclusion in Wales.

Note:

Unemployment figures based on claimant count information.

PRIME MINISTER

Engagements

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) dates and (b) locations of his meetings with the Irish Prime Minister between 1 July and 31 December 1999. [154766]

The Prime Minister: I met the Taoiseach on the following occasions between 1 July and 31 December 1999:

Date	Location/Event
1 July	Meetings at Castle Buildings
2 July	Breakfast at Hillsborough and meetings at Castle Buildings
20 July	Meeting at No. 10
6 September	Meetings at No. 10
14 October	Bilateral talks, Finland
9 December	Bilateral talks, Helsinki
17 December	British/Irish Council at Lancaster Gate and press briefing at No. 10

21 Mar 2001 : Column: 272W

Social Exclusion

Mr. Ennis: To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made on tackling social exclusion; and if he will make a statement. [155228]

The Prime Minister: The Social Exclusion Unit is today publishing a report, "Preventing Social Exclusion", which sets out the Government's approach to tackling social exclusion and the results that have been delivered so far in preventing social exclusion, reintegrating those who become excluded, and delivering basic minimum standards. It is a long-term approach, but clear results are now coming through:

One million more people are in work, and claimant unemployment has fallen to below 1 million for the first time since 1975. Unemployment has fallen fastest in the most deprived areas;

Educational achievement is improving--higher standards than ever before for 11-year-olds in English and maths with a 10 and 13 per cent. improvement in each subject respectively between 1998 and 2000;

More than a million children have been lifted out of poverty;

Overall crime is falling and burglary is down by a quarter since 1997.

Clear results are also coming through on the specific topics tackled by the Social Exclusion Unit;

A fall in the numbers of rough sleepers of over a third between June 1998 and June 2000;

A drop in school exclusions of nearly a fifth between 1997 and 1999. A third of all local education authorities provided full-time education for excluded pupils in 2000 and two-thirds plan to do so in 2001;

A fall of over 15 per cent. between 1998 and 1999 in the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment and training;

A clear downward trend in teenage conceptions and an increase in the proportion of teenage parents in training, education or employment from 16 per cent. in 1997 to 31 per cent. in 2000;

Progress in reducing the national truancy rate has been disappointing. Although some local areas have reduced truancy rates the national rate has remained static since 1997. This is being urgently addressed;

The National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal was finalised in January this year. This is an unashamedly long-term plan, laying the foundations to ensure that within 10 to 20 years, no-one should be seriously disadvantaged by where they live.

The Social Exclusion Unit's future priorities are going to be: to complete the current project on reducing re-offending by ex-prisoners; to follow up initial work on young runaways, on which a background paper is being published today; and to start two new projects on the educational attainment of children in care, and transport and social exclusion.

An overall strategy for working with children and young people is being developed by the Children and Young People's Unit. As a first step, they are today publishing "Tomorrow's Future: Building a Strategy for Children and Young People", which sets the Government's intent to work with children and young people and a wide range of stakeholders in developing the strategy.

Copies of all three reports have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

21 Mar 2001 : Column: 273W

Sir Richard Evans

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions he has met Sir Richard Evans at No. 10 Downing street since 1 May 1997. [154336]

The Prime Minister: I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings.

CABINET OFFICE

Anti-drugs Strategy

8. Mr. Edwards: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement about the Government's anti-drugs strategy. [153308]

Mr. Ian McCartney: The Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator's Annual Report for 1999-2000 shows that we are making progress towards meeting the challenging targets we have set as part our 10-year anti-drugs strategy.

Colleagues in Wales have launched "Tackling Substance Misuse in Wales: A Partnership approach". This reflects many of the key elements of the UK anti-drugs strategy but also covers the full range of substances misused in Wales, including alcohol.

We announced significant additional investment for targeted action in England and in the Budget. Similar provision is being made in Wales. National Assembly plans for 2002-03 and 2003-04 also provide for increases of £1 million and £1.5 million respectively. This represents nearly 60 per cent. increase in direct expenditure by the Assembly to combat substance misuse.

10. Dr. Iddon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent meetings she has had with her counterparts in other countries on anti-drugs initiatives. [153310]

Marjorie Mowlam: One of the four key aims of the Government's drugs strategy is to reduce the availability of Class A drugs in the UK.

Progress is being achieved through co-ordinated interdepartmental activity on agreed priorities, resulting in increased seizures of heroin and cocaine en-route to the UK and increased disruption of criminal groups involved in trafficking.

The UK is also active in international forums, including the UN, G8 and EU, aimed at strengthening the global framework for tackling the illicit drugs trade.

15. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the Government's anti-drugs policy. [153316]

Marjorie Mowlam: The Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator's Annual Report for 1999-2000 shows that we are making progress towards meeting the challenging targets we have set as part our 10-year anti-drugs strategy.

We recognise the particular importance of tackling the problem at local level and that there is more to do. That is why we announced in the Budget significant additional investment for targeted action at local level.

21 Mar 2001 : Column: 274W

This will give the Wirral Drugs Action Team an opportunity to work with local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships to help local communities disrupt local drug markets and tackle drug related crime and the anti-social behaviour so often associated with it.

23. Mr. Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions she has had with the Government's Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator on trends in the number of deaths from class A drugs since the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. [153327]

Marjorie Mowlam: I hold regular meetings with the Government's Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator to discuss all aspects of the Government's anti-drug strategy, including the changes in the deaths from Class A drugs.

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