The first New TSN Annual Report November 1999

1.

1.1

Introduction

Through New Targeting Social Need (New TSN) the Government aims to tackle social need and social exclusion in Northern Ireland by targeting its efforts and available resources on people, groups and areas in greatest social need. New TSN targets social need objectively, wherever it is found, and does not favour, or discriminate against, any section of the community.
1.2 New TSN was announced in the Partnership for Equality White Paper (Cm 3890), which was published in March 1998, as part of the Government’s wider agenda for making Northern Ireland a more fair, just and prosperous society. It was identified in the Good Friday Agreement as one of the Government’s key socio-economic commitments. The then Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Dr Marjorie Mowlam MP, formally launched New TSN on 28 July 1998.
1.3 The earlier Targeting Social Need policy had been introduced in 1991 with the intention of redirecting resources in Government programmes towards areas and people objectively defined as being in greatest social need. Dr Mowlam had reviewed the policy in the light of the Government’s priorities. In so doing she considered comments and recommendations on Targeting Social Need arising from an extensive review of employment equality published by the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights (SACHR) in 1997.
1.4 The Partnership for Equality White Paper endorsed Targeting Social Need’s rationale and general objectives, but concluded that a more vigorous approach was required. It recommended that the policy needed a stronger focus and that mechanisms should be put in place to ensure its effectiveness and transparency.
1.5 Partnership for Equality therefore indicated that New TSN would have a particular focus on combating the problems of unemployment and on increasing employability. It would also tackle inequalities in other areas such as health, education and housing and would include Promoting Social Inclusion (PSI), a co-ordinated approach to tackling the causes of social exclusion.
1.6 The White Paper allocated to the Secretary of State explicit responsibility for the political direction and oversight of New TSN, with individual Ministers driving it forward within their respective Departments. Every Northern Ireland Department and the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) would develop an Action Plan showing how it intended to implement New TSN over a 3 year period.
1.7

To ensure transparency and to enhance public accountability, Departments would consult on their New TSN Action Plans before adopting them and there would be consultation about the first issues to be tackled under PSI. Reports arising from PSI would be published and progress on all aspects of New TSN would be covered in Annual Reports.
1.8

This first New TSN Annual Report:

  • sets out progress on all aspects of New TSN since publication of Partnership for Equality

  • sets out draft Action Plans, with challenging objectives, which show how each Department will implement New TSN over the next three years

  • invites views on the draft Action Plans and explains how these views should be submitted.
1.9 The finalised Action Plans will be published. Progress will be reported, and the Plans updated, in the second New TSN Annual Report which is due in September 2000.
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