§ Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will state the purposes and extent of his Department's market research into contraceptive methods; how many persons will be interrogated, and upon what selection; whether he will ensure that the inquirers are instructed to inform those selected that they are in no way bound to reply; what will be the cost to public funds; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephThe family planning research which my Department is sponsoring consists firstly of a sample survey, by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and a private contractor at an estimated cost of £74,000, of the public use of services and attitudes towards them. 7,000 men and women chosen by a random sample of addresses from the electoral register will be interviewed; the interviewers are instructed to ensure that anyone approached understands that he or she is not required to reply. There is also to be a study of the services themselves by the Institute for Social Studies in Medical Care at an estimated cost of £27,500. The main purpose of the research is to provide information for use in improving family planning services.