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Tourism

13. Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about tourism operators in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [532]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have regular discussions with the First Secretary. In light of the current situation with foot and mouth disease, tourism has of course figured more prominently than ever in these discussions.

Additionally, the Under-Secretary of State represents the Wales Office on the Government's Rural Task Force, a body on which the Assembly is also represented. As a result of the work of this task force, several initiatives have been announced to assist tourism and rural industries more generally where they have been affected by foot and mouth disease.

Carers

14. Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the First Secretary to discuss provision for carers in Wales. [533]

Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I will continue to have regular meetings with the First Secretary and Cabinet colleagues to discuss a range of issues, including the provision of services in Wales. The Assembly is committed to improving the health and well-being of carers in Wales. On 12 June the Assembly voted to commence the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 and approved £3.7 million local authority special grant spending for carers services and breaks. On the same day the Assembly published its first annual report on the Carers' Strategy in Wales Implementation Plan.

Public Services (Funding)

16. Mr. Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the mechanism for calculating the level of Government funding for public services in Wales until 2004. [535]

Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend meets the First Secretary regularly on a range of matters. Last year's Spending Review added some £2 billion to the funding the Assembly will receive by 2003-04 for the delivery of services to Wales.

Business (Promotion)

17. Albert Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to meet the business community in north-west Wales to discuss Government policy on the promotion of business in the area. [536]

Mr. Touhig: In November last year, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales met members of the North Wales Economic Forum, which included representatives of business in north Wales.

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Both the Secretary of State for Wales and I plan to visit north Wales shortly.

Education

15. Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the number of staff in his Department with responsibility for education. [534]

Mr. Touhig: All staff working on policy issues in my Department have responsibility for a number of subject areas. However, within my Social Affairs Policy Branch, I have three members of staff whose remit includes education matters.

18. Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly about the education system in Wales. [537]

Mr. Touhig: My right hon. Friend regularly meets the First Minister and Cabinet colleagues to discuss a range of issues including the education system in Wales.

I also am looking forward to holding regular meetings with the Assembly Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning to discuss the provision of education in Wales.

My right hon. Friend addressed the National Assembly yesterday on the Queen's speech, which included an education Bill. The provision and improvement of education services in Wales is a priority of this Government.

Employment

19. Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about employment levels in Wales. [538]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I regularly meet with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales and discuss a wide range of issues including employment.

The Government's handling of the economy has provided the right conditions for growth and has seen employment in Wales rising by 34,000 since May 1997. Additionally the Government's new deal scheme has proved an enormous success enabling a 65 per cent. fall in the number of 18 to 24-year-olds unemployed and claiming the jobseeker's allowance for six months or more since new deal was launched throughout Wales.

Tuition Fees

20. Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the Rees report on tuition fees and student hardship. [539]

Mr. Touhig: The report of the Independent Investigation Group on Student Hardship and Funding in Wales was published on 14 June.

I understand that the National Assembly, which commissioned the report, will consider its recommendations very carefully. Any suggestions for changes to the existing system of student hardship and funding will be considered by the UK Government at the appropriate time.

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23. Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has held with the Prime Minister on student fees since the publication of the Rees report. [542]

Mr. Touhig: Neither my right hon. Friend or I have discussed the report of the Independent Investigation Group on Student Hardship and Funding in Wales with the Prime Minister since its recent publication on 14 June.

I understand that the National Assembly, which commissioned the report, will consider its recommendations very carefully. Any suggestions for changes to the existing system of student hardship and funding will be considered by the UK Government at the appropriate time.

Foot and Mouth

21. Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary on the impact of foot and mouth disease on the rural economy in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [540]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I maintain close contact with my right hon. Friend the First Secretary on a variety of issues, including foot and mouth disease.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales is a member of the UK Government Rural Task Force set up to examine the effect of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease across the rural economy as a whole. As a result of the work of the task force, several initiatives have been announced to assist rural industries more generally where they have been affected by the impact of foot and mouth disease.

24. Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the impact of foot and mouth disease on the Welsh agriculture industry. [544]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have weekly meetings with the First Secretary to discuss a wide range of issues, including foot and mouth disease.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales is a member of the UK Government Rural Task Force set up to examine the effect of the rural economy as a whole. As a result of the work of the task force several initiatives have been announced to assist rural industries more generally where they have been affected by the impact of foot and mouth disease.

26. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on policy initiatives to deal with the impact of foot and mouth disease in Wales. [546]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have had regular discussions with the First Secretary with regard to the policy initiatives to deal with the impact of foot and mouth disease in Wales and have visited affected areas in Wales with the First Secretary.

All efforts are focused on taking action to ensure the disease is contained and eradicated as quickly as possible. The action being taken is severe but the best way to beat the outbreak.

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Manufacturing Competitiveness

22. Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had about manufacturing competitiveness in Wales. [541]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Only yesterday I attended the launch of the Transport and General Workers Union policy statement on manufacturing, "Manufacturing Matters", and was able to discuss a range of manufacturing issues with a range of organisations. I also hold regularly discussions with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales and with my ministerial colleagues.

The Government are committed to improving manufacturing competitiveness across the whole of the UK by helping established industries to modernise and compete in new global markets, by encouraging enterprise and by creating a stable macroeconomic climate.

Rural Economy

25. Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will next meet the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales to discuss the state of the rural economy in Wales. [545]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have weekly meetings with the First Secretary on a wide range of issues, including the state of the rural economy, particularly in light of the current foot and mouth outbreak in Wales. Foot and mouth has had a devastating effect on an already fragile industry. The Assembly continues to explore initiatives for assisting the rejuvenation of the rural economy in Wales.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales is a member of the UK Government Rural Task Force set up to examine the effect of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease across the rural economy as a whole. As a result of the work of the Task Force many initiatives have been announced to assist a range of rural industries affected by the impact of foot and mouth disease.

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