HC Deb 20 November 1986 vol 105 cc318-9W
Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the total spending of his Department on press and public relations in the current year; and what it was in 1979–80 and each intervening year.

Mr. Moore

The total spending by my Department on press and publicity for the years 1979–80 and each subsequent year is as follows:

£
1979–80 5,839,662
1980–81 5,704,158
1981–82 5,488,211
1982–83 4,648,535
1983–84 6,499,335
1984–85 5,279,115
1985–86 5,788,492
1986–87 *6,636,745
* Estimated.

Over 95 per cent. of this expenditure relates to road safety advertising.

Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the estimated spending by his Department on television, radio and newspaper advertising, respectively, and other promotional literature in the current year; and what was the total in 1979–80 and each intervening year.

Mr. Moore

Figures for expenditure on behalf of my Department by the Central Office of Information on newspaper and television advertising in the years 1979–84 were covered by answers which appeared inHansard on 8 May 1984, c. 318 and those for 1984–85 financial year by reply in the edition which appeared 9 December 1985, c. 391.

Figures for radio advertising and other promotional literature are as follows:

Year Radio £ Other Promotional Literature £
1979–80 62,126 71,500
1980–81 335,800 140,310
1981–82 5,750 113,800
1982–83 97,750 217,500
1983–84 22,117 505,608
1984–85 207,290 412,310

Figures for 1985–86 and estimated figures for 1986–87 are as follows:

Year Radios £ Other promotional literature £ Newspapers £ Television
1985–86 761,850 355,672 1,034,441 Nil
1986–87 496,000 530,000 480,000 Nil

Over the years 1979–86, about 95 per cent. of the expenditure relates to road safety advertising. Other significant subjects covered were mobility for the disabled, vehicle licensing, car sharing, exhibitions of new road schemes, bus deregulation and Channel Tunnel Bill procedures.

In addition, direct expenditure by my Department and the Department of the Environment for the years 1979–84 on statutory and classified press advertising was as follows:

Year £
1979–80 500,262
1980–81 419,318
1981–82 605,299
1983–84 607,635
1983–84 873,207

These expenditures include spending by the Department of the Environment since, during that period, the Departments had a common information directorate. They do not include the cost of a limited amount of statutory advertising in the London Gazette.

Expenditure by my Department on statutory and classified press advertising for the succeeding years was as follows:

Year £
1984–85 14,575
1985–86 30,573
1986–87 130,000
1 Estimated.