§ Mr. FabricantTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research. [52697]
§ Mr. Straw[holding answer 29 July 1998]: The term 'research' covers a wide range of activities, from scientific and engineering research through to consultancies and public opinion surveys. The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.