§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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 and is responsible for each year since 1979, including the budgeted figure for 1995–96, (i) including and (ii) excluding privatization-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. Nelson[holding answer 17 March 1995]: The Treasury has no central budget for publications. Expenditure on publications and pamphlets since 1988–89 was as follows:
Year Expenditure £ At 1994 prices 1988–89 202,700 272,197 1989–90 207,285 260,136 1990–91 218,531 253,854 1991–92 139,865 161,892 1992–93 171,311 180,090 1993–94 202,719 206,773 1994–95 238,139 238,139 No individual publication between 1993 to 1995 cost more than £50,000.
Comparable data relating to the agencies and public bodies responsible to the Chancellor of the Exchequer could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The Treasury does not have a specific advertising budget. Since 1993, £8.1 million has been spent on advertising the sale of the Government's remaining share in the electricity generating companies in England and Wales.
Information about publicity costs since 1979 including publications and pamphlets, for the Treasury and the Chancellor's agencies and public bodies, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.