To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department and its predecessors spent on the purchase of (a) recycled office supplies in the last 12 months and (b) printer ink cartridges in each of the last five years. (274207)

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) was created as a result of the Machinery of Government changes in June 2007. Prior to June 2007, it was Department for Education and Skills (DFES). The spend figures are from office supplies purchased via the Department's contract with Banner Business Services (BBS) in the last five years was as follows:

The figures for 2004-05 and 2005-06 have been archived by the contractor and can only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

The figures since June 2007 also includes a portion of spend for Department for Universities and Skills DIUS (former DFES staff only). To separate this data would involve disproportionate cost.

The figures for printer ink cartridges also include remanufactured products.