I propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 184 together.
In line with a commitment in the PPF and following consultations with relevant Departments and the social partners, certain services currently provided by participants on community employment, CE, are being mainstreamed. This process involves the transfer of CE funding for specific services to other Departments with functional responsibility for these services.
The mainstreaming of schools services is currently under way and after an appropriate transition period to allow participants work out their contracts in schools, such services will be solely the responsibility of the Department of Education and Science. Arising from these changes, an additional £46 million is to be made directly available to schools on an annual basis, phased in by 2003, for the purposes of providing replacement services in schools. Following the completion of transfer of funding to schools, there will be no further CE involvement in that area.
Discussions with the Department of Health and Children on the mainstreaming of CE health services are proceeding and I look forward to early progress. An appropriate level of funding equal to CE spending on health services would then transfer to the Department of Health and Children to place such services on a more secure footing. Discussions with the Department of Environment and Local Government have also been commenced recently by my Department on the possibility of mainstreaming certain environmental services currently provided under CE to that Department. These discussions will be progressed as quickly as possible.
