§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost of advertisements for the community charge; in which daily and Sunday newspapers have advertisements been placed; and if he will list papers and cost of advertisements placed in each newspaper.
§ Mr. Portillo[holding answer 13 June 1990]: No advertisements for the community charge have been placed by the Department. We did, however, sponsor a campaign in January and February designed to inform people of the availability of community charge benefit and transitional relief. The total cost of the advertisements in this campaign in various media was just under £4 million. Of this the cost (excluding VAT) of placing advertisements in daily newspapers was just under £1.05 million, made up as follows:
Daily Mirror 338.3 The Sun 325.0 Daily Star 58.2 Daily Mail 61.5 Daily Express 40£0 Today 18.4 The Times 36.0 The Independent 33.7 The Guardian 36.6 The Daily Telegraph 99.0 In addition, design costs were incurred, but these are not easily separable from the design costs of the advertisements in other media. No advertisements were placed in Sunday newspapers.
The Department of Social Security has subsequently taken newspaper advertisements publishing the increased 359W savings limits for community charge benefit announced in the Budget, and reminding people of the time limit for making backdated claims for benefit and of the level of income likely to entitle people to benefit.