To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding he plans to allocate to professional bodies for the promotion of the principles of sustainable consumption and development to their members in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. (82481)

I have been asked to reply.

In October 2005, Defra funded Forum for the Future to engage with a range of professional bodies on sustainability issues. The project, Professions in Partnership for Sustainability, will work with professional bodies to embed sustainable competencies into their professional standards.

The project is worth up to £75,000 and will last until the end of the financial year 2006-07. No decisions have been taken yet on funding beyond the end of 2006-07.