§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to ensure that the Department's bid to the forthcoming Government Spending Round contributes toward the UK's objectives on sustainable development. [138689]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Department for Education and Skills has direct responsibility for one of Government's key sustainable development priorities, and influences seven others, set out in the UK Strategy for Sustainable Development. I launched the Sustainable Development Action Plan for Education and Skills on 23 September 2003. This plan commits this department to work with our partner organisations and other Government departments to ensure that sustainable development is an integral part of education and skills development of this country and its economy. We are working with HM Treasury in the context of the 2004 Spending Review to ensure that sustainable development remains at the heart of the development and renewal of the strategic priorities for this department. We are560W working closely with colleagues in Defra to ensure the impact of our policies can be measured through the new sustainable development indicators currently being developed as part of the review of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy.