§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for each year since 1979, how much his Department, and the previous Department of Education, spent in real terms on(a) focus groups, (b) opinion polls, (c) press releases and (d) television and radio advertising relating to education policy. [132411]
§ Mr. WillsThe Department for Education and Employment does not undertake focus groups or opinion polls of the public. However it has sampled and consulted on views of teachers, Heads and other groups affected by the Department's policies on specific issues; for example literacy and numeracy strategies.
Expenditure on press releases is not available in a form which would enable comparable figures for each year (1979 to 2000) to be compiled without disproportionate cost.
Expenditure on television and radio advertising relating to education policy from 1979–80 to 1999–2000, was as follows:
854W
Financial year Expenditure 1 Expenditure (£000) 1979–80 — — 1980–81 — — 1981–82 — — 1982–83 — — 1983–84 — — 1984–85 — — 1985–86 — — 1986–87 — — 1987–88 — — 1988–89 40 60.8 1989–90 11.8 16.7 1990–91 1,197 1,574.1
Financial year Expenditure 1 Expenditure (£000) 1991–92 800 991.2 1992–93 — — 1993–94 29.2 34.1 1994–95 — — 1995–96 165.7 185.6 1996–97 822.8 893.1 1997–98 190 200.6 1998–99 3,998.5 4,100.6 1999–2000 2,525.7 2,525.7 1 Cash terms 2 Real terms 1999–2000 prices The expenditure in 1998 onwards is largely accounted for by the Department's campaigns on literacy and numeracy.