1 9 9 9 ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁This ▁year ▁is ▁noted ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁meet ings ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Scottish ▁Parliament ▁and ▁National ▁Assembly ▁for ▁Wales . ▁ ▁Inc umb ents ▁Mon arch ▁– ▁Elizabeth ▁II ▁ ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁– ▁Tony ▁Bla ir ▁( Lab our ) ▁Parliament ▁– ▁ 5 2 nd ▁ ▁Events ▁ ▁January ▁ ▁January ▁– ▁V aux hall ▁launch es ▁a ▁fac el ift ed ▁V ect ra ▁to ▁improve ▁its ▁disappoint ing ▁ride ▁and ▁build ▁quality . ▁▁ 1 ▁January ▁– ▁The ▁Euro ▁currency ▁is ▁launched , ▁but ▁Britain ' s ▁Labour ▁government ▁reported ly ▁has ▁no ▁plans ▁to ▁introduce ▁the ▁currency ▁here , ▁prefer ring ▁to ▁stick ▁to ▁p ound ▁ster ling ▁instead . ▁▁ 1 3 ▁January ▁– ▁Un emp loyment ▁has ▁fallen ▁to ▁just ▁over ▁ 1 , 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁– ▁the ▁lowest ▁for ▁ 2 0 ▁years . ▁▁ 3 0 ▁January ▁– ▁England ▁national ▁football ▁team ▁manager ▁Gl enn ▁H odd le ▁gives ▁an ▁interview ▁to ▁The ▁Times ▁newspaper ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁suggests ▁that ▁people ▁born ▁with ▁dis abilities ▁are ▁pay ing ▁for ▁s ins ▁in ▁a ▁previous ▁life . ▁ ▁February ▁▁ 2 ▁February ▁– ▁The ▁Football ▁Association ▁dismiss es ▁Gl enn ▁H odd le ▁as ▁England ▁manager ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁controvers y ▁spark ed ▁by ▁his ▁comments ▁about ▁disabled ▁people . ▁▁ 1 2 ▁February ▁– ▁Scient ists ▁at ▁the ▁Row ett ▁Research ▁Institute ▁in ▁Aber de en ▁rein force ▁warnings ▁that ▁gen