To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to public funds is of the planning directorate of the Government office for the north east. (107795)

There is no planning directorate as such within GO-NE. Planning-related functions are carried out by a number of teams.

The Planning Team deal with local development plans and individual planning applications which may be called in. Their salary costs are budgeted for as £260,000 in 2006-07. The Strategy Team co-ordinates the Government response to the Regional Spatial Strategy which will determine the development framework for the region for the next 10 years. The Strategy Team's salary costs for 2006-07 are to be £214,000, however they are expected to decrease after the Secretary of State's modifications are published in 2007.