HC Deb 05 April 1995 vol 257 cc1207-9W
Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each non-departmental public body and agency for which she has responsibility and, for each, list separate figures for the spending by that body or agency on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising, (d) other promotional materials and activities, (e) the totals in each year of (a) to (d) and (f) the proportion of (e) that was spent on recruitment advertising for each year sine 1979–80 or for each year of its existence if it has been created since 1979–80; and what are her latest estimates of (a) to (f) for the years 1994–95 and 1995–96. [17634]

Mr. Sackville

The information requested for the Department's non-departmental public bodies could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The chief executives of the Department's four agencies have been asked to reply to the hon. Member on those parts which fall within their areas of responsibility.

Letter from K. Jones To Mrs. Ann Taylor, dated 31 March 1995:

EXPENDITURE ON ADVERTISING The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, about expenditure on advertising, as part of it falls within my area of responsibility. The Medicines Control Agency has not carried out any advertising using television, radio and newspapers. Nor has it produced any promotional materials beyond those relating to the Agency's statutory functions. The Medicines Control Agency was established in June 1991 and figures relating to the expenditure on recruitment advertising are available from 1992. The sums involved are:

  • 1992/93: £14,800
  • 1993/94: £27,701
  • 1994/95: £36,326
  • 1995/96: £45,000 (forecast)

Letter from Alan Kent to Mrs. Ann Taylor, dated 5 April 1995: The Secretary of State for Health has asked me to reply for the Medical Devices Agency (MDA) to your recent Parliamentary Question about expenditure on advertising and promotional materials and activities. The MDA was launched on 27 September 1994. Prior to that publicity services were paid for as part of the Department's overall expenditure. Since then MDA has spent £40k on newspaper advertising, to recruit 9 staff. There was no expenditure in this period on television or radio advertising for any purpose. Spending on promotional materials and activities was £105k in the same period, including publicity material connected with the launch; none was for recruitment purposes. We are in discussion with the Department about transferring a publicity budget to the Agency for 1995–96, based on last year's spend.

Letter from John Locke to Mrs. Ann Taylor, dated 5 April 1995: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, as part of it falls within my area of responsibility. NHS Estates was launched as an executive Agency of the Department of Health in April 1991. In response to your question:

  1. a) and b) No expenditure has been incurred in television advertising or radio advertising.
  2. c) Newspaper advertising spending to date from April 1991 totals £24,500. Totals spent in each year are as follows:
    • 1991/92: not available
    • 1992/93: not available
    • 1993/94: not available
    • 1994/95: £24,5000
    • 1995/96: £12,000 (budgeted)
  3. d) Spending on promotional materials and activities to date totals £693,978.14. Totals spent in each year are as follows:
    • 1991/92: £275,000
    • 1992/93: £164,000
    • 1993/94: £114,450
    • 1994/95: £140,528.24
    • 1995/96: £52,000 (budgeted)
All newspaper expenditure relates to recruitment advertising. Annual recruitment advertising information is only available from April 1994. Prior to this services were provided by the Department of Health. None of the spending on promotional material and activities relate to recruitment.

Letter from A. F. Cowan to Mrs. Ann Taylor, dated 5 April 1995: The Secretary of State for Health has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as part of it falls within my area of responsibility. The only publicity undertaken by the Agency relates to the NHS Pension Scheme and is directed to NHS staff and employers. We do not advertise on television, radio or in newspapers. Promotional activities undertaken during 1994–95 and 1995–96 were: representation at 5 NHS Conferences at a total cost of £10,044.00; the insertion of information about the NHS Pension Scheme in the National Association of Health Authorities & Trusts (NAHAT's) diary at a total cost of £1,327.75; seminars held in England and Wales and booklets printed for all NHS employees about changes to the NHS Pension Scheme Regulations at a total cost of £75,234.32. We did not engage in recruitment advertising.