Social Exclusion Unit

Tim Loughton
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the work programme is of the Social Exclusion Unit and what work the Social Exclusion Unit has undertaken with the Strategy Unit.

Hilary Armstrong
[holding answer 18 September 2006]: The Social Exclusion Taskforce, which comprises staff both from the former Social Exclusion Unit and the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, has been supporting me in developing ‘Reaching Out: An Action Plan on Social Exclusion’ which was published on 11 September. The Social Exclusion Taskforce is now following up the actions set out in that plan.

Tim Loughton
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many civil servants worked in the Social Exclusion Unit in each year since 1997; and what the budget was of the Social Exclusion Unit in each year.

Hilary Armstrong
[holding answer 18 September 2006]: Staff figures for civil servants only are not available for the Social Exclusion Unit. However, total headcount, which includes seconded and casual staff, is shown in the table.

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|                                                      |Total headcount|
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|1997                                                  |12             |
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|1998                                                  |21             |
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|1999                                                  |35             |
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|2000                                                  |43             |
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|2001                                                  |47             |
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|2002                                                  |57             |
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|2003                                                  |59             |
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|2004                                                  |62             |
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|2005                                                  |66             |
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|2006                                                  |47             |
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|Note: All figures include staff on loan and secondment|               |
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For details of the Social Exclusion Unit's expenditure since 1997, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Local Government (Mr. Woolas), on 8 May 2006, Official Report, column 94W.