§ Mr. TyrieTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when his policy strategy integration division was established; which of its reports are placed in the public domain; how many departmental or non-departmental special advisers participate in its work; how many. Regular(a) non-departmental and (b) departmental staff participate in its work; and how many of these work for the unit on a full-time basis. [150363]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe policy strategy integration division was established in September 1998. It presently has a full-time staff of seven, including one secondee from a local authority and one agency secretary. No special advisers participate in its work. The aim of the division is to facilitate a cross-cutting approach to issues which span policy areas, both within DETR and between DETR and others, rather than to produce reports. It has, however, led a review of the organisation of transport safety, and an account of the consultation and of the review group's analysis was placed in the House Libraries and made available on request. Also in the libraries is a report which the division prepared on transport links between the UK and Ireland for the British-Irish inter-parliamentary body. A memorandum on DETR's role in relation to public health was co-ordinated by the division and sent to the Health Committee in January this year.