§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many press releases have been issued by his Department in each(a) year and (b) quarter from 1995–96 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [92455]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe information requested is as follows:
(a) The number of press releases issued by each relevant Department excluding agencies, is set out in the table. Those on transport issues are included in overall totals for the former Departments of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) and Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR), as separate data is not held.
Number of press releases issued Number Department of Transport 1995–1996 422 1996–1997 401 April 1997–15 June 1997 38 Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (c) 16 June 1997–1998 817 1998–1999 1,217 1999–2000 1,153 Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (c)/ Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (c) 2000–2001 768 Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions 2001–2002 488 April 2002–28 May 2002 73 Department for Transport 29 May 2002–17 January 2003 121 (b) Quarterly information for Department for Transport, since its creation, is as follows:
Press releases issued by the Department for Transport Quarter Number 29 May to end of June 2002 17 July–September 2002 57 October–December 2002 43 1 January 2003–to date (17 January 2003) 4 Quarterly data for the former Departments is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.