To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what additional (a) funding and (b) other support his Department plans to provide to Citizens Advice Bureaux in anticipation of the introduction of the employment and support allowance. (219444)

Employment and support allowance (ESA) will be introduced on the 27 October 2008 and the ESA programme is working with a range of customer representative groups including Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB). Through this forum the ESA programme is committed to assist Citizens Advice Bureaux in introducing ESA into their organisation including the sharing of products to support implementation activity. The programme is working on areas highlighted through this group as areas of particular interest. This level of engagement will increase as we approach 27 October. The ESA programme Director, Phil Bartlett has met with senior CAB colleagues, to agree how we can work together to ensure the delivery of ESA is a success. This does not include any additional funding for the Citizens Advice Bureaux.