To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what role her Department plays in the delivery of the Northern Way initiative, with particular reference to tackling social exclusion in Northern England. (74043)

The delivery of the Northern Way initiative is the responsibility of the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Cabinet Office will support the Department for Communities and Local Government in delivering their agenda around social exclusion. In addition, my role is to build on the achievements of the Government to date and spearhead a renewed drive to address the most socially excluded in our society. This will include chairing the new Cabinet Committee on Social Exclusion and publishing an Action Plan in the autumn setting out how we will reach the most excluded. The immediate priority will be to focus on the following:

improving the early identification of the most at-risk households, individuals and children; children in care; teenage pregnancy; mental illness; and supporting ongoing work by the Respect Unit.

We are also producing a 10 year review of the long-term trends and drivers of social exclusion and the systemic reform needed to address them.