§ Q56. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether her recent appeal to people to buy British and her assurance that Government Department will, where all other matters are equal, buy British, applies to the placing of contracts for public relations.
§ The Prime MinisterPublic relations services for the Government are provided by the official information service. It has been the practice of sucsessive Administrations not to contract public relations consultancies except occasionally for highly specialised purposes. Government contracts for publicity services are placed with suppliers according to the normal criteria of effectiveness and economy.