§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the advertising contracts his Department has awarded since 1 May 1997, indicating the value of contracts and the number of companies which tendered for them. [30712]
§ Ms Jowell:[holding answer 23 February 1998]: Information on publicity-related advertising contracts awarded since 1 May 1997 is shown in the table.
The nursing advertising campaign was last tendered in January 1991. The tendering process was set up for the Department by Central Office of Information under the Advisory Committee on Advertising (ACA) guidelines. The ACA is an independent group of media and marketing professionals appointed by Ministers to advise on the nomination of suitable advertising agencies for government work, and on cost effective working methods, including media buying.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably agency was selected from the ACA approved list and was chosen because it has experience of mental health including working with the Samaritans.
758WIn addition to publicity advertising, the Department and its agencies place a number of staff recruitment advertisements through a variety of relevant recruitment agencies. The total cost for these since 1 May is £596,648.
Publicity advertising contracts awarded since 1 May 1997 Description Value of contract £ Number of companies which tendered Department of Health Recruitment into nurse training ads 1,150,000 — Emergency Helpline Pilot campaign (NHS Direct) 385,000 3 CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) 200,000 — Encourage expressions of interest in tendering for provision of HIV/AIDS and drugs telephone advice lines 9,476 — Dental research ads 3,351 — To attract voluntary agencies to apply for funding for health promotion projects 1,800 — Blood Donation—Ad in Breeze pop group tour guide 987 — Blood Donation—Ad in Warner Bros cinema guide 329 — Medical Devices Agency Sponsorship advertisement by MDA in NHS Confederation attendance booklet 3,290 — Total Publicity Advertising Contracts 1,754,000 —