Westminster Lowdown with Colin Breed M.P. - Labour's annual report is not the whole truth

Virtually] all organisations, businesses, charities and statutory bodies produce annual reports.

Some, of course, are required to do so by law, others as a means of informing members or the general public of their activities, progress and financial position.

So it was this week that the Government published the second annual report of its work.

It is certainly less gushing than last year's and even accepts it has not quite achieved everything - yet.

Apparently, almost all their pledges have been fulfilled, with the exception of only two not yet even started.

However, we must ask how objective the report really is. Does it provide a full and fair picture, and do the so-called facts line up with our experience?

For instance, if, as they claim, so much money has been allocated to the NHS, why are waiting times getting longer?

And why have the number of NHS beds fallen to an historic low?

It is pleasing to see class sizes for four to seven year old being reducied.

But this is only being achieved at the expense of other pupils, who are seeing their class sizes increase.

If the Government wants to tackle crime, why have police officers' numbers continued to fall - by over 1,000 less since the general election.

These are all areas where the Government sees itself as succeeding.

In transport and environment, the picture is very mixed indeed.

Of course, problems did not occur on May 2, 1997, but are a product of Government policies over many years: under-investment in public services, botched privatisations and the failed policy of the 'market-place economics' for everything.

I give credit to the Government for some of the improvements which they have carried out and, indeed, for managing the economy tightly.

But they simply cannot raise expectations of vastly-improved public services unless they are prepared to spend the money necessary.

An annual report is a good thing, but only if it provides the truth and is not merely a means of glossing over the hard facts.