asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the action taken by his Department on the State Express Challenge Scheme and the Sports Aid Foundation.

My Department examined proposals put forward for the State Express Challenge scheme; these, like other forms of tobacco sponsorship of sport, have to comply with the Agreement and Code of Practice I negotiated with the industry last year.The Sports Aid Foundation is not a party to this agreement, being a beneficiary and not a sponsor.