§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money has been spent by his Department in 1989–90 and 1990–91 on(a) advertising community charge rebates, (b) advertising the transitional relief scheme and (c) advertising the sale of water companies.
§ Mr. HeseltineIn 1989–90 my Department spent approximately £4 million on advertising the availability of community charge benefit and transitional relief, with advertisements targeted at those who needed to know. It is not possible to apportion this total between, respectively, benefit and relief. Departmental expenditure on advertising the availability of shares in the water companies was approximately £16.5 million, with the aim of encouraging wide share ownership among the general public.
No money has been spent on similar advertising this year, but the Department has continued to produce and distribute free leaflets about the availability of community charge benefit and transitional relief. Leaflets are now in preparation to publicise the availability of the new community charge reduction scheme which I announced on 17 January.