HC Deb 27 March 1995 vol 257 cc459-61W
Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure on(a) all forms of publicity and (b) all publications and pamphlets produced for his Department and for all the agencies and public bodies for which his Department is responsible, for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatisation-related expenditures and expressed in 1994 prices; and if he will supply information for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 showing (1) the nature and (2) the purpose of each publicity campaign and of each publication involving the expenditure of more than £50,000.

Mr. Lang

[holding answer 17 March 1995]: Publicity campaigns and publications for my Department are

Campaign Nature Total cost £ Purpose
1993–94
Children's Panels Press 84,000 To recruit from all sections of the community, members to the Children's Panels.
Fire Prevention Press/TV 169,000 To promote the installation of smoke alarms.
Open Door Press 123,000 To publicise The Scottish Office Central Enquiry Unit, the service it provides and to encourage the public to use it.
Organ Donor TV/Press/Print 116,000 To promote the carrying of donor cards and to advise card holders to let their next of kin know of their wishes.
Road Safety TV/Metrobus 308,000 To promote road safety among school-age children.
Further and Higher Education Charter Press/TV/Adshels/Radio/Print 136,000 To promote awareness of the new Charter to parents and students.
Right to Buy Print/Press/TV 306,000 A campaign targeted at public sector tenants to make them aware of the Right to Buy and Rent to Mortgage Schemes.

commissioned through the Scottish Office information directorate. Expenditure by it on all forms of advertising for the period requested is:

£
1994–95 2,225,000
1993–94 1,874,000
1992–93 1,648,000
1991–92 2,104,000
1990–91 1,911,000
1989–90 2,713,000
1988–89 1,470,000
1987–88 1,507,000
1986–87 1,228,000
1985–86 1,001,000
1984–85 1,102,000
1983–84 592,000
1982–83 664,000
1981–82 724,000
1980–81 744,00
1979–80 629,000

Expenditure on information publications through the information directorate is:

£
1988–89 630,000
1989–90 920,000
1990–91 591,000
1991–92 824,000
1992–93 1,107,000
1993–94 816,000
1994–95 776,000

All figures expressed in 1994 prices.

Figures not available for information publications before 1988–89.

In addition to information publications, my Department has produced many hundreds of specialised publications each of interest to particular target groups. Information on these could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Details of publicity campaigns for the period from 1 April 1993 to 1 March 1995 are shown in the following table.

Campaign Nature Total cost £ Purpose
1994–95
Drugs and Solvents Press/TV/Radio/Print 250,000 To make parents aware of drug and misuse solvent amongst children and offering booklets containing advice. Campaign ran in conjunction with Department of Health.
Domestic Violence Press/TV/Print/Posters 482,000 Targeted at males who assault their partners, the campaign attempts to change attitudes while stating that domestic violence is a criminal offence.
Children's Panels Press 86,000 Repeat of 1993–94 campaign.
Electoral Registration Press/TV 99,000 A two part campaign: (i) to encourage householders to complete their electoral registration forms and (ii) to urge new voters, in particular, to check the draft electoral registers.
Organ Donors Press/Print 145,000 A campaign requesting donor card holders to enrol in the national register.
Fire Prevention TV 231,000 To promote the maintenance of household smoke alarms.
Road Safety TV 232,000 Repeat of 1993–94 campaign.
Right to Buy Print/Press/TV 220,000 Repeat of 1993–94 campaign.
Drugs and Solvents Misuse TV/Radio 90,000 Repeat of 1993–94 campaign.
Water and Sewerage Print 108,000 Producing a leaflet for distribution to every Scottish household to make householders aware of the annual costs of these services.
Local Government Reform Print 139,000 Producing a leaflet for distribution to every Scottish household advising of the changes to the forthcoming restructuring of local government.

The planned publicity budget for my Department for 1995–96 is £2.5 million.

No records are held centrally regarding publicity campaigns and publications for agencies and public bodies. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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