Don Touhig: I welcome my right hon. Friend to his new position and wish him well. I thank him for answering my question. Statistics show that one third of all property crime in Britain is drugs related. How will the Government strategy impact on that?
Don Touhig: If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 10 November.
Don Touhig: The Tory party destroyed the great industries of Wales, especially coal, which we debated in the Chamber this morning. It never reinvested in reskilling our work force, and it left us a legacy of despair without so much as a second thought. [Interruption.] However, my valleys are beginning to bloom again with unemployment falling, new job opportunities being created and confidence in the...
Don Touhig: Monday next.
Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State regularly attends meetings with ministerial colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and I am planning a series of introductory meetings with my ministerial colleagues. The Government's new deal programme has proved a very real success. We are keen to build on this success by extending the new deal 25+ to all over-25s who...
Don 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...
Don 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.
Don 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. Both the Secretary of State for Wales and I plan to visit north Wales shortly.
Don 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.
Don 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...
Don 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.
Don 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...
Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend meets regularly with the Home Secretary to discuss a range of issues including the recruitment of police officers in Wales.
Don Touhig: I met my hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy to discuss these matters last week. I am sure that we will continue to build on the significant progress made to date. As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales established the Welsh sub-group of the Coal Health Claims Monitoring Group specifically to address coal health issues in Wales...
Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales meets the Home Secretary regularly to discuss a range of issues, including measures to tackle crime in Wales.
Don Touhig: I congratulate the South Wales police on a record reduction in crime in their area. I am aware of the communities that care project to which my hon. Friend referred. It targets violence and crime, drug abuse, schools failure, pregnancy in schools and sexually transmitted diseases. The Bridgend project has received funding of £446,000, and I understand that the project organisers are now...
Don Touhig: The hon. Gentleman represents a party that has just lost a general election campaigning on a massive reduction in public expenditure. Police numbers in Wales have increased, additional money has been put in to combat crime in Wales and there has been a record number of policemen on the beat in Wales. That is the resource that the police service most needs. The Government have delivered that...
Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales regularly meets the Home Secretary to discuss a range of issues including the recruitment of police officers in Wales. He also met the four Welsh chief constables earlier this year and there was broad agreement on recruitment policy.
Don Touhig: I thank my hon. Friend on two accounts--his congratulations on my appointment and on my re-election. He did not do too badly in the Rhondda either, pushing the nationalists well back. I am aware of the DARE project, which is an American anti-drugs initiative. It aims to offer educational programmes in the classroom to prevent and reduce drug use and violence among children and young people....
Don Touhig: It is important that we measure the performance of all public services. That is the only way to bring about any improvement. I have no doubt, as a former adviser to the Police Federation, that police morale in Wales is very good, because we are putting in record funding to recruit a record number of bobbies. The answer to many of our problems in the south Wales valleys and throughout Wales is...