§ Mr. Fryasked the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis the fees for the right to reproduce his Department's statistics are assessed; whether the press is exempt from such fees; whether trade associations are treated differently from the press in respect of the use of such data; what trade associations have been approached by his Department with a view to paying fees; how many have paid such fees; what sum has been collected; and what proportion this represents of the total cost of his Department's statistical services.
§ Mrs ChalkerFees for the right to reproduce statistical data are based on the commercial value of the information. Summary data in statistical press notices are provided free of charge to the press as background briefing. Other bodies such as trade associations may purchase these press notices, and would have to pay a fee if they wished to reproduce large tracts of the data in their own publications.
Several bodies have been approached with a view to paying these fees, but it would be a breach of commercial confidence to name them or the sums involved. The first fees are expected in the 1982–83 financial year and are likely to represent less than 0.5 per cent. of the total cost of all statistical work in the Department.