To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) intends to take by (i) 2012 and (ii) 2020 in relation to adaptation to the effects of climate change as they affect his departmental responsibilities; and if he will make a statement. (166425)

[holding answer 6 December 2007]: The steps the Department has taken and intends to take are set out in the Sustainable Development Action Plan (SDAP), ‘Learning for the Future’, covering 2006-08. We recently submitted a progress report on this to the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), the Government’s independent watch dog on sustainable development.

SDC will shortly be publishing their analysis of the progress of Government Departments.

We are currently working on the content of a new SDAP that will cover 2008-10. This will incorporate the Government’s overall intentions as laid out in the recent Climate Change Bill and the cross-Government Adaptation Policy Framework to be published in the spring.

Subsequent SDAPs are likely to continue to reflect the work of the Department in addressing the effects of climate change on children, schools and families.