HC Deb 28 January 2003 vol 398 cc838-9W
Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [92463]

Dr. Moonie

The number of press releases issued by the Ministry of Defence's central Press Office has been recorded by calendar year only for years 1995–96. Figures for the dates in question are:

Year Number
1995 149
1996 176
19971 160
1998 238
1999 282
2000 224
2001 159
2002 151
1Data only available from 1 May onwards

The number of press releases issued in each quarter from 1997 to 2002 is in the following table:

Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 Total
1997 n/a 25 44 91 160
1998 72 67 56 43 238
1999 75 67 56 84 282
2000 44 48 69 63 224
2001 53 29 38 39 159
2002 40 31 39 41 151

Note:

Figures by quarter for years before May 1997 are no longer available.

In addition to the figures, the single services, the regional defence press offices and defence agencies issue their own press releases. They also re-issue some central press releases for local distribution. Accurate figures on these, which take account of any "duplicate releases", could be provided only at disproportionate cost.