Written question asked by Ian Stewart (Labour) on Monday, 2 March 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 4 March 2009. It was answered by Sarah McCarthy-Fry (Labour) on Wednesday, 11 March 2009 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Departmental Scientists

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his Department's budget for scientific advice and research is in 2008-09; for what purposes the equivalent budget for 2007-08 was used; and how many people employed in his Department have a science or engineering degree.

Answer: The DCSF does not commission scientific research and advice. We do commission social and economic research and analysis in order to provide evidence to support policy-making activity across the full range of the Department's responsibilities according to need. Our current forecast is that we will spend £31 million on social and economic research and analysis in 2008-09. In 2007-08, the figure was £27 million. We do not collect information on staff with a science or engineering degree centrally.

Secondary information