[holding answer 18 September 2006]: The Social Exclusion Taskforce, which comprises staff both from the former Social Exclusion Unit and the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, has been supporting me in developing ‘Reaching Out: An Action Plan on Social Exclusion’ which was published on 11 September. The Social Exclusion Taskforce is now following up the actions set out in that plan.
[holding answer 18 September 2006]: Staff figures for civil servants only are not available for the Social Exclusion Unit. However, total headcount, which includes seconded and casual staff, is shown in the table.
Total headcount 1997 12 1998 21 1999 35 2000 43 2001 47 2002 57 2003 59 2004 62 2005 66 2006 47 Note: All figures include staff on loan and secondment
For details of the Social Exclusion Unit's expenditure since 1997, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Local Government (Mr. Woolas), on 8 May 2006, Official Report, column 94W.