§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what expenditure has been incurred by her 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 she will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each; and if she will make a statement. [26592]
§ Mrs. Beckett[holding answer 5 February 1998]: The surveys commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry and the agencies for which DTI is responsible are mainly small surveys for the purpose of programme evaluation or to assess customer satisfaction. There are very few surveys which entirely involve opinion polling or market research as such.
In 1996, those surveys which involved an element of opinion gathering cost a total of £0.8 million (Table 1). In the period from 1 May 1997, this expenditure has increased to £1.9 million (Table 2) due to the commissioning of a Workplace Industrial Relations Survey to assess state of industry at an estimated cost of £1.2 million.
No records are held centrally of surveys commissioned by the Department if out of the scope of Survey Control.
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Table 1: Regular Surveys in 1996 Title Purpose National Weights and Measures Customer Survey Customer satisfaction Export Marketing Information Centre User Satisfaction Questionnaire Customer satisfaction Quality Management System for Export Services Customer satisfaction Business Links Baseline Tracking Study Programme evaluation Radiocommunications Agency Customer Survey Citizen's charter Patent Office Customer Survey Citizen's charter Biotechnology Means Business Evaluation Programme evaluation Subtotal (7 surveys) Ad Hoc Surveys in 1996 Evaluation of the LINK Optoelectronics Programme Programme evaluation DTI France Desk—Private Label Clothing and Fabrics Programme evaluation Evaluation of the Manufacturing Planning and Implementation Programme Programme evaluation
Table 1: Regular Surveys in 1996 Title Purpose Evaluation of Consultancy Support for European Activities—Framework IV Programme evaluation Evaluation of the APAG Trade Review Programme evaluation Environmental Technology Best Practice Programme Programme evaluation Valid Analytical Measurement—Assessment and Understanding and Marketing Needs Market research Companies House Marketing Research Market research Survey of Firms: Evaluation of the Area Advisory Groups to the BOTB Programme evaluation Evaluation of the Export Promoters Initiative: Survey of Firms Programme evaluation Value for Money Survey of Export Intelligence Customers Customer satisfaction Loan Guarantee Scheme: Evaluation of the Advice and Counselling Pilot Programme evaluation Survey on the Influence of Workplace Disciplinary Procedures on Application to Industrial Tribunals Assess state of industry Business Link Evaluation June 1996 Programme evaluation Regional Customer Supply Network Charging Study: Telephone Survey of Customers Customer satisfaction Evaluation of Improved Oil Recovery and Reservoir Simulation Programmes Programme evaluation The Impact of Sunday Trading Act on Employment Practices Assess state of industry Evaluation of Business Links Programme evaluation Overseas Trade Services Marketing and Brand Awareness Survey Programme evaluation Subtotal (20 surveys) Surveys to households and individuals Potential for Green Electricity Supply to UK Domestic Consumers Market assessment Consumer Packaging "Openability" Opinions on packaging Safety Instructions for Consumer Products Opinions on product safety Fireworks '96 Evaluation Safety campaign awareness Subtotal (4 surveys) Grand Total (31 surveys) Total cost: £816,000
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Table 2: Regular Surveys since 1 May 1997 Title Purpose National Weights and Measures Customer Survey Customer satisfaction Export Marketing Information Centre User Satisfaction Questionnaire Customer satisfaction Quality Management System for Export Services Customer satisfaction Business Links Baseline Tracking Study Programme evaluation Radiocommunications Agency Customer Survey Citizen's charter Patent Office Customer Survey Citizen's charter Biotechnology Means Business Evaluation Programme evaluation Design Council Evaluation and Tracking Study Programme evaluation Workplace Industrial Relations Survey Assess state of industry Companies House Customer Satisfaction Survey Customer satisfaction Subtotal (10 surveys) DTI Ad-Hoc Surveys conducted since 1 May 1997 Environmental Technology Best Practice Programme Programme evaluation Survey of UKAEA Contractors Programme evaluation Evaluation of the Regional Supply Network Programme evaluation Support for Overseas Trade Fairs and Seminars Study Programme evaluation Engineering, Automotive and Metals Customer Survey Customer satisfaction Future Market Potential for Photovoltaic Products Assess state of the industry Business Link Campaign Evaluation (Benchmark) Advertising campaign evaluation Business Link Campaign Evaluation (Follow-up 1) Advertising campaign evaluation
Table2: Regular Surveys since 1 May 1997 Title Purpose Insolvency Service User Survey 1997 Customer satisfaction Study of the Effectiveness of New Approach Directives Programme evaluation Evaluation of Export Market Research Scheme Programme evaluation Evaluation of Retex Initiative Programme evaluation Evaluation of Konver Initiative Programme evaluation British National Space Corporation Customer Survey Customer satisfaction Evaluation of Industry '96 Programme evaluation Evaluation of Design of High Speed Machinery Programme Programme evaluation Mid-Term review of British National Space Corporation Applications Programme evaluation Demonstration ProgrammeReview of European Supply Network Programme evaluation Subtotal (19 surveys) Sun'eys to households and individuals Redundancy Payments Service Customer Survey Customer satisfaction Consumer Product Recalls Consumer attitudes Insolvency Service Communications Review Customer awareness Subtotal (3 surveys) Grand total (32 surveys) Total cost: £1,858,000