§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual budget for communications activities, including press, public
Communications budgets 1997 to 2002 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 Press office running costs — 1,095,000 1,213,200 1,606,100 1,505,100 Press office programme costs — — — — — Total — 1,095,000 1,213,200 1,606,100 1,505,100,00 Prison press media running costs — — — 578,100 467,500 Prison press media programme costs — — — — — Total — — — 578,100 467,500 Marketing running costs — 950,950 986,200 758,300 815,000 Marketing programme costs 4,121,000 7,459,050 11,050,000 32,874,000 25,115,000 Total 14,121,000,00 8,410,000 12,036,200 33,632,300 25,930,000 Internal communications unit running costs — — — 692,600 814,500 Internal communications unit programme costs — — — — — Internal communications ('Inside Track' staff magazine) — — — 125,000 130,000 Total — — — 125,000 130,000 Internal advisers running costs — — — 373,200 480,500 Internal advisers programme costs — — — — — Total — — — 373,200 480,500 Grand total 4,121,000 9,505,000 13,249,400 36,429,200 28,860,100 1The figure for 1997–98 is given as a single total. This was the first year that publicity budgets were devolved to directorates, also at that time all expenditure including running costs were entered under one cost code; therefore a more detailed breakdown is not available. As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and my right hon. Friend his predecessor (Mr. Straw) have said on a number of occasions, increases in spending on communications activities have largely come about for two reasons. Firstly, the expansion of the Home Office Press Office, which took effect in late 2000. was to cope with the widened responsibilities—particularly relating to the Government's reform programme and a significant increase in demand from the media. The second expansion has been on marketing and advertising where a number of substantial and important public information campaigns were mounted—including fire safety, electoral registration, and vehicle crime reduction and, more recently, the continuing highly effective police recruitment campaign which has contributed greatly to the achievement of the highest level of police officers.