To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007, Official Report, column 94W, on departments: affairs, what the value and purpose was of each payment by his Department to Atkins (formerly WS Atkins) as part of the Academies Programme since 2001. (153618)

The value of the payments made to Atkins as part of the Academies Programme for each financial year since 2001-02 to date is shown in the following table.

The payments were made for an advisory service on capital project design and other support services for the academies programme.