To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the expenditure of the Education and Skills Authority in its first 12 months of operation; and if he will make a statement. (100707)

The Education and Skills Authority is planned to come into operation from 1 April 2008. Work is continuing on the development of the roles, responsibilities and functions of the ESA and the budget will be determined, in due course, in the light of decisions on these matters and of the outcome of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.