HC Deb 18 December 1995 vol 268 cc959-62W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all qualitative and quantitative research projects and surveys carried out for his Department into aspects of public attitudes and opinions(a) in general and (b) in relation to specific policy proposals in each of the past three years to December 1995, indicating for each project or survey (i) the date on which the research was commissioned, (ii) the amount which his Department spent, (iii) who carried out the research, (iv) the number of people surveyed or taking part, (v) the location and time scale and (vi) which individuals and organisations have been given access to the findings. [5984]

1994 Mr. Howard

[holding answer 14 December 1995]: The qualitative and quantitative research projects and surveys into aspects of public attitudes and opinions are in the list, together with the relevant policy area. Most research conducted for the Home Office is published and widely disseminated, and therefore, all interested individuals and organisations have access to the results. The exception to this is research commissioned for internal management purposes. The fee paid to successful contractors is not shown as this is regarded by the Central Statistical Office as a matter of commercial confidentiality.

Specials creative and development research

  • Date commissioned/notified: April 1993
  • Agency: Cragg, Ross and Dawson
  • Sample size: 48
  • Location: Great Britain
  • Timetable: April—May 1993
  • Policy area: Special Constables
  • Purpose: Reactions to the new advertising campaign for the Specials.
Eleven discussion groups plus an interview survey of c1200 women and ethnic minorities in England, Scotland and Wales
  • Date commissioned/notified: April 1993
  • Agency: Harris Research Centre
  • Sample size: 110
  • Location: Great Britain
  • Timetable: June—July 1993
  • Policy area: Fire service
  • Purpose: To explore reasons why potentially eligible women and members of ethnic minority groups might wish or not wish to apply for work as fire fighters.
Telephone survey of drug usage
  • Date commissioned/notified May 1993
  • Agency: RSL and Sheffield University
  • Sample size: 1,500
  • Location: Greater Manchester
  • Timetable: May 1993–January 1994
  • Policy area: Drugs prevention
  • Purpose: To explore urban—rural variations in drug use, attitudes to drugs and drugs prevention.
Car crime advertising
  • Date commissioned/notified: August 1993
  • Agency: Sample Surveys
  • Sample size: 500
  • Location: England and Wales
  • Timetable: September—October 1993
  • Policy area: Car crime prevention
  • Purpose: To examine the recall of a car crime campaign and changing attitudes to car crime.
Smoke alarms home audit
  • Date commissioned/notified: June 1993
  • Agency: GFK Marketing Services
  • Sample size: 20,000
  • Location: England and Wales
  • Timetable: September 1993–February 1994
  • Policy area: Fire prevention
  • Purpose: To measure smoke alarm ownership and maintenance procedures.
Omnibus Survey questions on public experiences of and attitudes towards the police. 2,000 adults in England and Wales
  • Date commissioned/notified: September 1993
  • Agency: OPCS
  • Sample size: 2,000
  • Location: England and Wales
  • Timetable: October 1993
  • Policy area: Attitudes to the Police
  • Purpose: To assess public response to the police service Quality of Service Programme.
Special Constables recruitment advertising research
  • Date commissioned/notified: November 1993
  • Agency: BMRB
  • Sample size: 600
  • Location: England and Wales
  • Timetable: November—December 1993
  • Policy area: Special Constables
  • Purpose: To examine awareness of and attitudes towards the Special Constabulary, including the recent recruitment advertising.

1994 British crime survey

  • Date Commissioned/notified: April 1993
  • Agency: OPCS
  • Sample size: 14,500
  • Location: England and Wales
  • Timetable: January—March 1994 (fieldwork)
  • Policy area: General attitudes to crime and crime related issues
  • Purpose: A random sample of the general public were interviewed in relation to their experiences of crime. The interview also collected information on a wide range of public attitudes and opinions on such issues as attitudes to the police, awareness of neighbourhood watch, worries and fear of crime, crime prevention measures, and perceptions of crime.
Smoke alarms post advertising research
  • Date commissioned/notified: January 1994
  • Agency: BMRB
  • Sample size: 2,000
  • Location: England
  • Timetable: February—March 1994
  • Policy area: Fire prevention
  • Purpose: A post advertisement survey of adults in England and Wales regarding smoke alarm ownership, maintenance, fire precautions and knowledge of the effects of fire.
Specials creative development
  • Date commissioned/notified: February 1994
  • Agency: Reflexions Market Research Ltd.
  • Sample size: 64
  • Location: England
  • Timetable: February 1994
  • Policy area: Special Constables
  • Purpose: A survey of a number of adults in England asking their opinions of new advertising executions for the specials; including perceived target audience, communication, motivation potential (to joining the specials) style and tone of voice of advertising.
Specials advertising evaluation
  • Date commissioned/notified: March 1994
  • Agency: BMRB
  • Sample size: 1320
  • Location: Granada TV Region
  • Timetable: March-June 1994
  • Policy area: Special Constables
  • Purpose: Research measuring awareness of advertising, knowledge and awareness of specials.
International commercial crime survey
  • Date commissioned/notified: January 1994
  • Agency: BMRB
  • Sample size: 4000
  • Location: England and Wales
  • Timetable: January 1994-December 1995
  • Policy area: Retail Crime
  • Purpose: Information gathered will help development of national and local government strategies for crime prevention.
  • Fifteen discussion groups amongst residents of five areas currently served by 'Parish Special Constables'
  • Date commissioned/notified: April 1994
  • Agency: Tim Grosvenor Associates
  • Sample Size: 150
  • Location: Five Villages in Kent, Dorset, Derbys, and North Yorks having "Parish Special Constables".
  • Timetable: May-June 1994
  • Policy area: Parish Special Constables
  • Purpose: To assess public reactions to the Parish Special Constables initiative.
Immigration and nationality user survey
  • Date commissioned/notified: September 1994
  • Agency: Public Attitude Surveys Ltd.
  • Sample size: 60
  • Location: Glasgow, West Midlands, London and the South East Timetable: October-December 1994
  • Policy area: Immigration
  • Purpose: A qualitative survey of Immigration Department applicants and representatives to establish the most important quality of service aspects from a users prospective. Concentrates on issues such as provision of information, speed of response, clarity of correspondence, etc. if not concerned with users'.
Survey of 500 persons living in the London area and currently. eligible to apply, for UK citizenship
  • Date commissioned/notified: August 1994
  • Agency: SCPR
  • Sample size: 500
  • Location: Greater London
  • Timetable: February 1995-April 1995
  • Policy area: UK Citizenship
  • Purpose: Applicants and non-applicants were questioned about their reasons for applying/not applying. To assist workload planning by B4 Division of Immigration and Nationality Department.
Smoke alarms post advertising research
  • Date commissioned: December 1994
  • Agency: BMRB
  • Sample size: 600
  • Location: England and Wales
  • Timetable: January 1995-February 1995
  • Policy area: Fire prevention
  • Purpose: Survey of adults in England and Wales regarding smoke alarm ownership, maintenance, and awareness and recall of the advertising.

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