§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give separate figures for the spending by(a) the Central Office of Information, (b) Her Majesty's Treasury, (c) the Department of National Savings, (d) Customs and Excise, (e) the Inland Revenue and (f) Her Majesty's Stationery Office on (i) television advertising, (ii) radio advertising, (iii) newspaper advertising and (iv) 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.
§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard[holding answer on 5 November 1991]: The expenditure by these departments on advertising and other promotional material is as follows:
For expenditure by the Central Office of Information, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by the Economic Secretary on 30 April 1991 at columns 144–45. The actual costs for 1990–91 were as follows: £51,360,000 on television advertising; £1,640,000 on radio advertising; £38,170,000 on press advertising; and £33,500,000 on other promotional material. The forecast for 1991–92 is as follows: £34,500,000 on television advertising; £1,000,000 on radio advertising; £32,600,000 on press advertising; and £34,200,000 on other promotional material.
Detailed decisions on estimated expenditure on advertising through the COI on behalf of other Government Departments for 1992–93 are for departmental Ministers.
For Her Majesty's Treasury, the expenditure for 1988–89 was £49,310, that for 1989–90 was £52,486, and that for 1990–91 was £43,581, none of which was on television or radio advertising. The latest estimate for 1991–92 is £84,193 none of which is likely to be spent on television or radio advertising. The advertising budget for 1992–93 has not yet been set. Comparable figures for earlier years are unavailable because of machinery of government changes and could be given only at disproportionate cost.
Her Majesty's Treasury is also running the advertising campaign in connection with the BT share offer, which began on 1 October 1991. This includes television, press and poster advertising. It is planned to end just before the close of the offer, which is on 4 December. The costs of the BT sale, including total marketing costs, will be reported to Parliament after the sale, in the normal way.
For expenditure by the Department of National Savings I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by the Economic Secretary on 8 May 1991, at column 458. The forecast for 1991–92 is now £6.1 million for television advertising and £2.9 million for press advertising, with the other figures unchanged. The advertising budget for 1992–93 has not yet been set.
212WHer Majesty's Customs and Excise have not used television, radio or newspaper advertising for promotional purposes. The available information on other promotional material is as follows: £21,000 in 1984–85; £29,000 in 1985–86; £28,000 in 1986–87; £29,000 in 1987–88; £47,000 in 1988–89; £31,000 in 1989–90; and £44,000 in 1990–91. The forecast for 1991–92 is £54,000. The advertising budgets for 1992–93 have not yet been set. These figures do not include recruitment advertising. Comparable figures for earlier years are unavailable.
Expenditure by Inland Revenue is as follows: £15,000 for newspaper advertising and £300,000 for other advertising in 1986–87; £15,000 for newspaper advertising and £350,000 for other advertising in 1987–88; £20,000 for newspaper advertising and £250,000 for other advertising in 1988–89; £30,000 for newspaper advertising and £400,000 for other advertising in 1989–90; £4,376,000 for television advertising, £2,155,000 for newspaper advertising and £679,000 for other advertising in 1990–91; and £20,000 for newspaper advertising and £300,000 for other advertising in 1991–92. The figures for 1990–91 include expenditure of £6.95 million on an advertising campaign to increase public awareness of the new arrangements for non-taxpayers to register for payment of bank and building society interest without deduction of income tax. The advertising budget for 1992–93 has not yet been set. Comparable figures for earlier years are not readily available and could be given only at disproportionate cost.
For expenditure by HMSO, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by the Economic Secretaryon 8 May 1991, at column 460. The forecast for 1991–92 is £539,000 for advertising in newspapers and journals and £589,000 for other promotional material. The budgets for 1992–93 have not yet been set.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total expenditure by(a) Her Majesty's Treasury, (b) the Central Office of Information, (c) Customs and Excise, (d) the Department of National Savings and (e) Her Majesty's Stationery 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.
§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard[holding answer 5 November 1991]: Expenditure on press and public relations is as follows:
The expenditure for HM Treasury in 1988–89 was £548,264, that in 1989–90 was £564,691 and that in 1990–91 was £510,489. The forecast for 1991–92 is £547,104. The budgets for 1992–93 have not yet been set. Comparable figures from 1979–80 to 1987–88 are unavailable due to machinery of Government changes and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
For details of the expenditure by the Central Office of Information, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by the Economic Secretary on 29 April 1991, at columns 5–6. The actual costs for 1990–91 were £57,365; the forecast for 1991–92 is £66,919. The budgets for 1992–93 have not yet been set.
The expenditure by Customs and Excise is as follows: £63,000 in 1984–85; £87,000 in 1985–86; £85,000 in 1986–87; £89,000 in 1987–88; £126,000 in 1988–89; £92,000 in 1989–90; £102,000 in 1990–91; and £86,000 in 1991–92. The budgets for 1992–93 have not yet been set. The figures for 1979 to 1984 are not available.
213WFor details of the expenditure by the Department of National Savings I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by the Economic Secretary on 3 May, at column 354. The budget for 1992–93 has not yet been set.
HMSO has not recorded any expenditure on press and public relations.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Treasury has sent unsolicited direct mail as part of the distribution of publicity material.
§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard[holding answer 5 November 1991]: Yes. On both the 1987 BP secondary sale and the current BT secondary sale, unsolicited direct mail was sent to potential investors inviting anyone considering applying for shares in the offer to register with the share information office.