Social Exclusion And Urban Policy Units

Mr. Pickles
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many research projects the (a) Social Exclusion Unit and (b) Urban Policy Unit commissioned (i) in 2003–04 and (ii) 2002–03; and what the criteria for selection of each project were. [113558]

Mrs. Roche
The numbers of research projects commissioned is as follows: -----------------------
|                     |
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|Social Exclusion Unit|
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|Urban Policy         |
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The criteria for selecting projects for inclusion in the Office's research programmes is that they meet policy requirements. All of the Office's programmes of research are agreed by Ministers.

Mr. Pickles
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the (a) Social Exclusion Unit and (b) Urban Policy Unit were formally established. [113561]

Mrs. Roche
The Social Exclusion Unit was formally established in December 1997. The Urban Policy Unit was formally established in January 2001.