asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the staffing, work load and future prospects of the Directorate-General of Design Services of the Property Services Agency.

The staffing of the Directorate-General of Design Services is being reduced in accordance with the Government's policies on Civil Service staffing. At 1 April it had 608 staff—including 113 in the design office. The Directorate-General continues to provide specialist, professional and technical support to the agency and, through the design office, to promote by example high standards of design.