Written question asked by Tim Loughton (Conservative) on Tuesday, 24 October 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 26 October 2006. It was answered by Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour) on Wednesday, 8 November 2006 on behalf of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Social Exclusion Unit

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why the Social Exclusion Unit has been disbanded.

Answer: The Social Exclusion Task Force (SETF) was set up at the centre of Government in July 2006 to carry forward the Government’s cross cutting agenda on social exclusion following the appointment of a Cabinet-level Minister for Social Exclusion based at the Cabinet Office.In September 2006 the SETF published ““Reaching Out: An Action Plan on Social Exclusion””, which proposes a range of systematic reforms aimed at fundamentally changing the way we deliver help and support to the most socially excluded. It is guided by five principles:"Better identification and earlier intervention""Systematically identifying what works""Promoting multi agency working""Personalisation, rights and responsibilities and""Supporting achievement and managing underperformance."The Action Plan aims to build on current progress and go further. It opens the next chapter in combating entrenched exclusion, by setting out a series of immediate actions and pilots built around a lifetime approach to tackling exclusion.The SETF will work closely with all departments to ensure that the needs and unique challenges of the most socially excluded are addressed.

Secondary information