HC Deb 16 February 1998 vol 306 cc479-82W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure has been incurred by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies(a) in 1996–97 and (b) since 1 May 1997 on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; if he will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each; and if he will make a statement. [26632]

Mr. Spellar

[holding answer 5 February 1998]: This is a matter for the Chief Executives of the Defence Analytical Services Agency, the Meteorological Office and the Hydrographic Office. I have asked the Chief Executives to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Paul Altobell to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 16 February 1998: I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence regarding expenditure incurred by his department, agencies and non-government public bodies in (a) 1996–97 and (b) since 1 May 1997 on (i) opinion polling (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency. Apart from surveys undertaken by HYDR(O) and MET(O) who will respond separately, the department commissioned surveys of the general public to the value of: £481,383: 1996–97 £458,675: 1 May 1997 to date. Details of the surveys are given in the tables attached. Unfortunately, we have no central records of the methodology employed in each survey so cannot subdivide according to your categories (i), (ii) or (iii). In addition the department, from time to time, undertakes surveys of its own employees, the Armed Services and other stakeholders. Information on these surveys is not kept centrally. I hope you will find this information useful.

MoD Expenditure on Surveys of the General Public, 1996 to date
Date Description
1996–97
April 96 Effectiveness of RNPT presentations and audience research
April 96 Soldier—Creative Development research
August 96 Advertising tracking
August 96 Army Officer Creative Development
September 96 Scottish advertising research
September 96 Army radio advertising research
October 96 Ethnic minorities advertising research
September 96 Territorial Army qualitative research
November 96 RAF events evaluation
November 96 Leuchars Air Show visitors survey
October 96 Territorial Army—quantitative phase
October 96 Continuous tracking
December 96 Army advertising tracking
November 96 Creative Development research for Soldier advertising
January 97 Image of The Army
January 97 Royal Navy Advertising—evaluation and attitude Survey
February 97 Wales & West Marketing Trial—research
February 97 Advertising tracking Be The Best
March 97 Be The Best advertising tracking—attitude survey
Total Expenditure £481,383
Date Description
Since 1 May 1997
June 97 RAF advertising strategy
August 97 Navy advertising evaluation
August 97 Technicians Target market research
August 97 RAF Degree Package research
August 97 Army Presentation Team—evaluation
September 97 Attitudes to NATO
October 97 'Be The Best' branding research
October 97 Territorial Army advertising development research
January 98 Image of RAF/reactions to advertising concepts
February 98 Army fitness video research
March 98 RAF attitude survey and advertising tracking
March 98 Army Campaign Development research
March 98 Catterick Garrison Radio Trade evaluation
June 98 Be The Best Tracking Research
November 98 Army Ethnic Minority Initiative evaluation
Total Expenditure: £458,675

Note:

Excludes HYDR(O) AND MET(O).

Letter from J. P. Clarke to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 16 February 1998: You recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence a Parliamentary Question about the levels of expenditure incurred on opinion polls, focus groups and market research. As this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, I have been asked to reply to you directly.

Details of expenditure incurred for the periods requested and the surveys upon which this was expended are as follows: 1996/97

  1. (i) Opinion Polling—Nil
  2. (ii) Focus Groups—£32,500. User group meetings were held to establish worldwide customer requirements for a future Electronic Navigational Chart Service currently under development by the UKHO.
  3. (iii) Other forms of market research—£9,000.

This covers a general survey of professional merchant marine operators to identify strengths and weaknesses of UKHO products for future marketing action.

Since 1 May 1997

  1. (i) Opinion Polling—Nil.
  2. (ii) Focus Groups—£500. This relates to a meeting of ship operators or those related to ships operations to discuss user friendliness of UKHO Charts and Publications.
  3. (iii) Other forms of market research—£37,800.

The expenditure covers three separate market research exercises as follows:

  1. a. £8,300 was incurred in a survey at the London and Southampton Boat Shows in order to identify the interests of those visiting the UKHO exhibition stand (eg the balance of leisure to commercial customers) to assist improvements in the staffing, product displays and services offered at future shows.
  2. b. £15,000 was expended on a consultancy review of UKHO Customer Service Strategy which sought to provide an independent assessment of current UKHO customer service delivery performance and provide a strategy for developing customer friendly services and improving customer support.
  3. c. £14,500 has been incurred in obtaining consultancy support to develop an appropriate and acceptable pricing structure for Electronic Navigational Charts. The UKHO expects to be the first national Hydrographic Office to provide an electronic charting service. We therefore have no equivalent benchmark against which to set prices.
I hope this reply has been of assistance.

Letter from Peter Ewing to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 16 February 1998: I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure incurred by his department, agencies and non-governmental public bodies during 1996–97 and since 1 May 1997 on (i) opinion polling (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research. As Chief Executive of the Meteorological Office, supply of information in respect of this Agency falls within my area of responsibility. I attach a list of the surveys commissioned by the Met. Office during the periods concerned. The expenditure incurred, exclusive of VAT, amounted to £32,180 for 1996/97 and £116,874 for the period from 1 May 1997. Apart from £2,000 spent in this financial year on a CAA customer satisfaction survey, which was clearly aimed at a specific focus group, all of this expenditure falls into the third of your categories, other forms of market research. This research is, of course, in support of our activities as a Trading Fund with an annual turnover of £152M.

Survey Year Purpose
Public Perception Survey 1996–97 Establish Met. Office performance against targets laid down by the government to ensure proper public spending.
Corporate Perception Survey 1996–97 Establish the perception of the branding and position of the Met. Office within the weather market.
Employee Attitude Survey 1996–97 Establish the morale of The Met. Office in a time of change.
Economic benefit of offshore industry for UKMO 1996–97 Establish the economic benefit of the offshore industry business to UKMO
CAA customer satisfaction survey 1997–98 Establish satisfaction criteria of customers and users for the CAA.

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