§ Dr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, if he will show in theOfficial Report the numbers, grades and cost of his Department's staff dealing with public and media inquiries about the community charge and with publicity campaigns on the community charge; and whether these costs were included in the costs of his campaign announced on 8 May.
§ Mr. RidleyNo members of my Department deal exclusively with public and media inquiries, or with 519W information campaigns, about the community charge. As is usual, the figures included in my letter to the hon. Member dated 8 May were for production and distribution costs and did not cover the time of departmental staff.
§ Dr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the annual cost of the community charge publicity unit being run from PO Box 622, Bristol BS99 1TR; and what are the numbers and grades of staff employed there.
§ Mr. RidleyThe PO Box No. to which the hon. Member refers is that of a private company contracted by the Central Office of Information, on behalf of the Department, solely to fulfil requests for departmental publications on the community charge. The estimated cost of this service is some £300,000, but the final cost will depend on the number of requests received.
§ Dr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in theOfficial Report his letter of 8 May to the hon. Member for Copeland setting out his plans to publicise the community charge.
§ Mr. RidleyI am arranging for copies of my letter to be placed in the Library of the House.