§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total public expenditure cost of the Scottish Information Office in 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80 in (a) current prices and (b) 1979 survey prices.
§ Mr. YoungerThe total public expenditure cost of the Scottish Information Office for 1977–78 and 1978–79 is as shown below:
1977–78 1978–79 £ £ Current Prices 1,032,000 946,000 At 1979 Survey Prices 850,000 777,000 The total projected public expenditure cost, based on the 1979 estimate for the financial year 1979–80 is:
£ Current Prices 884,000 At 1979 Survey Prices 730,000
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list any 157W publications of the Scottish Information Office which he is considering discontinuing.
§ Mr. YoungerNone at present, but the list of fact sheets is reviewed annually.
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Scottish Information Office is consulted by the Scottish Development Agency, the Scottish Tourist Board, or the Highlands and Islands Development Board before publishing any of their publications.
§ Mr. YoungerThe organisations named consult the Scottish Information Office about the arrangements for publishing
Factsheets Discontinued Started 1977 … … Central Institutions (incorporated in Scottish Education). The Scottish Office and North Sea Oil and Gas. 1978 … … Scotland's Arts and Letters. Structure Plans in Scotland, Local Plans in Scotland. 1979 … … Land and the Community. —
Booklets Discontinued Started 1977 … … — Scottish Industry and Offshore Markets. Scottish Agriculture. North Sea Oil Information Sheet (Exhibition Edition). 1978 … … Benefits of North Sea Oil. Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen. Training for North Sea Oil. Integration—Not Isolation (Community Service). Scottish Education and North Sea Oil. Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory. National Health Service in Scotland. Guide to Basic Fire Safety. Women in the Scottish Prison Service. North Sea Oil Information Sheet (Exhibition Issue). 1979 … … Scottish Industry and Offshore Markets. Scotland—Pioneer, Producer, Processor of North Sea Oil. Crime Prevention Panels Conference. Jim and Jane meet the Police. Improve your Home.
Leaflets Discontinued Started 1977 … … — Electricity Discount Scheme. Revaluation. Community Parents. Development of Hill Farming Subsidies. 1978 … … Cornton Vale Prison. Free School Meals. Community Parents. Valuation Appeals. 1979 … … Free School Meals. — Good Neighbours. Electricity Discount Scheme. Revaluation. Valuation Appeals. 158W
Newsletter (Special Editions) Discontinued Started 1977 … … — — 1978 … … — Scotland in World Cup. 1979 … … — Offshore Europe Exhibition. their annual reports but do not normally consult about other publications.
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Scottish Information Office is currently considering any additions to its list of publications.
§ Mr. YoungerYes.
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list any publications of the Scottish Information Office which were either discontinued or started in 1977, 1978 and 1979.
§ Mr. YoungerThe information is set out in the table below:
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§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many press releases were issued by the Scottish In-
1977 1978 1979 Total … … … … … … 1,650 1,737 1,533 Of these there were issued on behalf of other United Kingdom Departments and outside organisations … … … … … 156 180 175
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average number of inquiries received each month by the Scottish Information Office from the general public and from the press and broadcasting.
§ Mr. YoungerI regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the publications of the Scottish Information Office during 1979, stating (a) the number of issues published, (b) the average cost per issue, (c) price, if any, and (d) the number of purchasers and recipients for each publication.
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what pamphlets or other documents and on what subjects the Scottish Information Office has published in the last 12 months; and what has been the cost of each individual pamphlet or document.
§ Mr. YoungerApart from the 1,533 press releases, issued free, a list of the publicity material published by the Scottish Information Office during 1979 and the cost per copy is set out in the table attached. (Table 1). This material is
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TABLE 1 LEAFLETS Title Quantity Cost per copy (p) Electricity Discount Scheme 1978–79 (2 pages) … … … … 1,500 1.9 Electricity Discount Scheme 1978–79 (10 pages) … … … … 1,500 9.6 Guide to the New Summary Cause … … … … … … 5,000 5.4 Cycle Safety … … … … … … … … … 50,000 2.3 Rate Relief for Disabled … … … … … … … 35,000 1.9 Police Pay Scales … … … … … … … … 10,000 1.0 You can help your Doctor … … … … … … … 9,000 6.7 Use the Right Fuse (Fire Prevention) … … … … … 15,000 3.0 Careers Service … … … … … … … … … 30,000 2.5 Ministers of the Scottish Office … … … … … … 500 3.0 Don't let a Thief Spoil Your Holiday (Crime Prevention) English … … … … … … … … … 60,000 1.1 German … … … … … … … … … 20,000 0.75 French … … … … … … … … … 20,000 0.75 Fire Prevention in Caravans … … … … … … … … … 80,000 1.9 formation Office during 1977, 1978 and 1979.
§ Mr. YoungerFollowing is the information:
issued free of charge and is distributed to the relevant organisations associated with any publicity exercise. Copies are supplied to local authorities, citizens advice bureaux, where appropriate, and to members of the general public on request.
No new fact sheets were produced during 1979. Existing and revised factsheets set out in the table attached (Table 2) were issued in the quantities shown. These publications are also issued free on request. The cost of production of Factsheets is approximately 5p per issue.
The normal distribution is to all Scottish Members of Parliament, regional, district and community councils, libraries, citizens advice bureaux, chambers of commerce and universities and colleges in Scotland. Requests from members of the public are answered on demand.
950 copies of "Newsletter from Scotland", a feature service of industrial and other success stories for free distribution overseas and to London-based correspondents of the overseas press, are produced every month at a unit cost of 47p. 360 copies of the Scottish Office brief on local government, price 25p, were issued during 1979.
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Title Quantity Cost per copy (P) Use Bottled Gas Heaters Safely … … … … … … 10,000 5.4 Prospects for Graduates (Police Recruitment) … … … … 2,000 4.0 Your Career in the Scottish Prison Service … … … … … 5,000 14.9 The Scottish Police would like to ask (recruitment) … … … 15,000 1.4 Dover House, London … … … … … … … 1,000 19.2 Electricity—How Much can Landlords Charge? … … … … 30,000 1.3 Rent Rebates … … … … … … … … … 400,000 1.5 Rate Rebates … … … … … … … … … 400,000 0.9 Money on the Move … … … … … … … … 10,000 1.4 Keep Thieving Hands Off (Crime Prevention) … … … … 10,000 1.8
BOOKLETS Title Quantity Cost per copy (p) Compensation—A guide for houseowners and tenants … … … 10,000 8.0 Fishermen and Offshore Oil … … … … … … … 3,000 26.0 Improve Your Home with a Grant … … … … … … 30,000 4.6 Landlords and the Law … … … … … … … 5,000 3.5 Protection under the Rent Acts … … … … … … 5,000 3.5 Rooms to Let … … … … … … … … … 5,000 3.9 Letting Your Own Home … … … … … … … 5,000 3.1 Crime Prevention Panels Conference 1979 … … … … … 200 146.0 For Your Information—Scottish Agriculture … … … … 11,000 6.5 Scottish Agriculture … … … … … … … … 1,500 27.3 Police Guide to Security … … … … … … … 50,000 4.9 Guide to Basic Fire Safety … … … … … … … 10,000 8.3 Fire Prevention in Small Boarding Houses … … … … … 10,000 3.1 Jim and Jane Meet the Police (Crime Prevention) … … … … 50,000 4.4
Posters Title Quantity Cost per copy (P) Warble Fly … … … … … … … … … 1,000 8.6 Kidney Donors … … … … … … … … … 8,000 8.3 Sheep Worrying … … … … … … … … 2,500 6.0 Rate Relief for Disabled … … … … … … … 5,000 4.2 Improve Your Home … … … … … … … … 2,000 11.7 Careers Service … … … … … … … … … 10,000 16.1 Protect Your Boat (Crime Prevention) … … … … … 5,000 4.3 NHS prescription Charges … … … … … … … 5,000 1.4 If you leave it, you could lose it (Crime Prevention) … … … 10,000 7.3 Old People's Week … … … … … … … … 12,500 6.1 You can start at any age (Crime Prevention) … … … … 12,000 3.5 Make Sure of your Vote … … … … … … … 8,500 2.4 Rent and Rate Rebates … … … … … … … 3,000 5.2 Game, Set and Snatch (Crime Prevention) … … … … … 2,500 7.5 Disabled Week '80 … … … … … … … … 5,000 5.1
MISCELLANEOUS Title Quantity Cost per copy (P) Police Recruitment Folder with inserts … … … … … 13,000 25.2 Kidney Donor Cards … … … … … … … … 200,000 0.5 Fire Prevention Wallchart … … … … … … … 3,000 9.2 Blazebuster lapel badges (Fire Prevention) … … … … … 10,000 6.0 Blazebuster comic (Fire Prevention) … … … … … … 50,000 4.2 Never Go with Strangers (Crime Prevention colouring-in sheets) … 90,000 0.9 Don't Lose the Place bookmarks (Crime Prevention) … … … 50,000 0.7 162W163W
Table 2 FACTSHEETS Quantity Universities in Scotland … … … … … … … … … 3,000 Religion in Scotland … … … … … … … … … 500 Scotland in Profile … … … … … … … … … … 2000 Helping People in Need: Scotland's Social Work Services … … … … 1,000 Planning for Development … … … … … … … … … 1,000 The Departments of the Lord Advocate … … … … … … … 1,500
Quantity Children's Hearings … … … … … … … … … … 1,000 The National Health Service in Scotland … … … … … … … 2,000 The State Hospital, Carstairs … … … … … … … … 1,500 The Economy of Scotland … … … … … … … … … 3,000 Scotland's New Licensing Laws … … … … … … … … 1,000 Scottish Office and North Sea Oil and Gas … … … … … … 1,000 Land and the Community … … … … … … … … … 150 Divorce Law—Scotland … … … … … … … … … 200 Scottish Education … … … … … … … … … … 1,500 Scottish Courts … … … … … … … … … … 1,000 Industry and the Secretary of State for Scotland … … … … … 1,500 Prisons and other penal establishments in Scotland … … … … … 3,500 Key Facts on Scotland's land use and physical features … … … … 2,000 The Scottish Office: A Guide to the Structure and Functions of the Secretary of State for Scotland … … … … … … … … … … 4,000 Consultative Committee on the Curriculum … … … … … … 1,000 The Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977 … … … … … … … 1,000 The Police in Scotland … … … … … … … … … 1,500 Structure Plans in Scotland … … … … … … … … 1,500 Local Plans in Scotland … … … … … … … … … 1,500 Scottish Office brief on Local Government … … … … … … 360 Palace of Holyrood House … … … … … … … … … 250 Edinburgh Castle … … … … … … … … … … 250 The Forth Bridges … … … … … … … … … … 100
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to make any changes in the role and activities of the Scottish Information Office.
§ Mr. YoungerI have no plans to alter the role of SIO, but one consequence of the planned reduction in the size of the Scottish Office will be a reduction in the scale of activities of SIO.
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money the Scottish Information Office spent on general advertising in the last 12 months; what were the figures five and 10 years ago, respectively; if he will list the general subject of each advertisement; in which newspaper, or other part of the media, the advertisement appeared; and what was the cost of each individual advertisement.
§ Mr. YoungerDuring the current financial year, 1979–80, the total budget for advertising by the Scottish Information Office is £237,740 of which £180,662 has been spent. The information relating to the location and cost of advertisements in newspapers and other parts of the media is both complex and detailed and I am sending it to my hon. Friend. I am also placing a copy of the information in the Library of the House. Detailed information requested for five and 10 years ago cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost of 164W running the Scottish Information Office last year; what was the cost five and 10 years ago, respectively; and if he will specify the major constituent items in this total cost.
§ Mr. YoungerThe total cost of the Scottish Information Office in 1978–79 was £777,000. The costs for five and 10 years ago could not be identified without disproportionate cost. The main constituent is salaries and staff related costs, the figures for which are £433,000 for 1978–9, £155,000 for 1973–74 and £90,000 for 1968–69 at the price levels obtaining in those years.
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated total public expenditure cost of the Scottish Information Office for 1980–81.
§ Mr. YoungerThe estimate will be laid before Parliament in due course.
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff were employed in the Scottish Information Office during 1977, 1978 and 1979 in (a) Scotland, and (b) London.
§ Mr. YoungerThe staff employed in the Scottish Information Office at 1 April of each year were as follows:
1977 1978 1979 (a) Scotland 38 37 41 (b) London 3 3 3
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons work in 165W the Scottish Information Office at the latest available date; and how many worked there, respectively, one year, five years, and 10 years ago.
§ Mr. YoungerThe numbers, which relate to the increase in responsibilities over the period of the Scottish Office, are as follows:
31 January 1980, 42; 1979, 44; 1975, 40; 1970, 28.
§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what films the Scottish Information Office has made in each of the last five years; what the subjects have been; and what the cost of each film has been.
§ Mr. YoungerTwo films have been made for the Scottish Information Office during the last five years. A film on the work of the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, was made in the financial year 1975–76 at a cost of £18,600, and an oil-related film was made in the financial year 1976–77 at a cost of £1,590.
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the Scottish Information Office spent on overseas publicity during 1977, 1978 and 1979.
§ Mr. YoungerIn 1977, £7,396; in 1978, £7,032, and in 1979, £7,623.
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a geographical breakdown by country of the visitors received by the Scottish Information Office during 1979.
§ Mr. YoungerVisitors from 62 overseas countries were received by the Scottish Information Office during 1979. Their countries of origin are as follows:
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Argentina, Gambia, Australia, Ghana, Belgium, Gibraltar, Bolivia, Greece, Brazil, Holland, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Canada, Hungary, Cayman Islands, India, China, Indonesia, Cyprus, Israel, Denmark, Italy, Dominica, Jamaica, East Germany, Japan, Egypt, Kenya, Eire, Lesotho, Fiji, Malawi, Finland, Malaysia, France, Mexico,
Montserrat, Sweden, Nepal, Switzerland, New Zealand, Tanzania, Nigeria, Thailand, Norway, Tonga, Poland, Turks & Caicos, Portugal, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, USA, Singapore, USSR, South Africa, Venezuela, South Korea, West Germany, Spain, Yemen Arab Sri Lanka, Republic. St. Lucia,
§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many overseas visitors were received by the Scottish Information Office in 1977, 1978 and 1979.
§ Mr. YoungerThe numbers of overseas visitors received by the Scottish information office in 1977, 1978 and 1979 were 439,257 and 329, respectively.