HC Deb 05 November 1991 vol 198 cc44-6W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure by the Cabinet Office on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what is his estimate for 1991–92 and budget for 1992–93.

The Prime Minister

Expenditure on press and public relations by the Cabinet Office was:

£
1984–85 247,495
1985–86 232,980
1986–87 224,813
1987–88 215,925
1988–89 201,837
1989–90 205,650
1990–91 165,601

The latest estimate for 1991–92 is £1,005,000 and the provisional budget for 1992–93 is £508,000.

Similar information is not available for the years prior to 1984–85.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Prime Minister if he will give separate figures for spending by his office on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1991–92 and budgets for 1992–93.

The Prime Minister

My office has incurred no expenditure on advertising or promotional material and there are no plans for any such expenditure in 1991–92.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Prime Minister whether(a) the Prime Minister's office or (b) the Cabinet Office have sent unsolicited direct mail as part of the distribution of publicity material.

The Prime Minister

My office has not sent any unsolicited direct mail. The Cabinet Office, as part of its central civil service function, has sent the following publicity materialAn approach has been made to heads of universities and local authority chief executives advising them of European Community recruitment competitions as part of the ongoing initiative to improve United Kingdom representation in EC institutions. Each year we inform certain private sector companies of the date by which the Cabinet Office needs to receive applications for the top management programme in the forthcoming cycle. The public appointments unit approaches individuals, in respect of whom they have received a recommendation, seeking their willingness to be considered for senior appointments.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure by his office on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what is his estimate for 1991–92 and budget for 1992–93.

The Prime Minister

Expenditure by my office on press and public relations was not recorded separately before 1987–88. The total expenditure for each year since then is as follows; the budget for 1992–93 has not yet been finalised.

£
1987–88 377,987
1988–89 419,326
1989–90 427,802
1990–91 553,068
1991–92 1560,750
1 Estimate.

Note: The figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92 include notional superannuation costs which are excluded from the figures for earlier years.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Prime Minister if he will provide an up-to-date list of each television advertising campaign carried out, or to be carried out, by(a) the Prime Minister's Office and (b) the Cabinet Office during 1991–92, and of each other publicity campaign costing more than £100,000, giving for each (i) the topic, (ii) the commencement date, (iii) the duration and (iv) the advertising, promotional and public relations companies involved.

The Prime Minister

My office has not undertaken any advertising campaigns in 1991–92; nor has the Cabinet Office undertaken any television advertising during 1991–92.

Details of the only advertising campaign costing over £100,000 carried out by the Cabinet Office in this period are as follows:

  1. (i) Citizen's Charter White Paper
  2. (ii) 22 July 1991
  3. (iii) 7 weeks
  4. (iv) the campaign was managed by the Central Office of Information

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Prime Minister if he will give separate figures for spending by the Cabinet Office on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1991–92 and budgets for 1992–93.

The Prime Minister

The Cabinet Office has not incurred and does not expect to incur any expenditure on promotional advertising on television or radio in the years 1979 to 1993. Expenditure in this period on promotional advertising in newspapers is estimated at £585,000 in 1991–92 and £300,000 in 1992–93.

Information on other promotional material is not available for the years 1979 to 1987. Expenditure on such material from 1987–88 was:

£
1987–88 19,306
1988–89 9,500
1989–90 14,833
1990–91 876

The Cabinet Office does not expect to incur any expenditure on other promotional material in 1991–92 or 1992–93.