HC Deb 27 June 1989 vol 155 c381W
Mr. Blair

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which public relations firms his Department has employed and at what cost, for each year since 1979.

Mr. Ridley

Apart from the special circumstances of privatisation work, the consistent practice of successive Governments has been to avoid the use of public relations firms or other firms outside Government for public relations work.

Since July 1988 my Department, jointly with the Water Authorities Association, has employed Dewe Rogerson Ltd. as marketing and public relations advisers in connection with the forthcoming privatisation of the water authorities. I am unable to reveal the costs of its work for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

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