HC Deb 06 December 1996 vol 286 cc800-1W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what promotional and public information campaigns his Department is(a) currently running and (b) planning to run during the next six months; and for each campaign (i) how much it will cost, (1) in total and (2) to his Department, (ii) what agencies or bodies are undertaking the work and (iii) what is its planned duration. [7407]

Mr. Bowis

Information relating to the promotional and public information campaigns run by the Department of Transport through its agencies is not collected centrally. The information below relates to the central transport group of the Department of Transport only.

The bulk of the Department's promotional and public information work concerns continual campaigns to encourage safer road use.

  1. (a) The annual Christmas drink drive advertising campaign is currently running. It will run throughout December and will cost £1.2 million.
  2. Child pedestrian safety advertising will run in January and February 1997 costing £800,000. Over the next six months it is planned to spend a further £400,000 to publicise various road safety topics.

The Department works with advertising agencies Abbot Mead Vickers and D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles to secure creative advise in addressing its road safety messages through advertising campaigns to the public; it works with the Central Office of Information to ensure that it secures effectiveness and value for money in the purchasing of advertising media. In other areas of providing information for the public—advice on transport security, mobility for disabled people, vehicle emissions etcetera—it works with various suppliers of design, print, and other media.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on promotional or public information campaigns in each of the last five years; and how much he estimates will be spent on these campaigns during the (i) current and (ii) next financial years. [7539]

Mr. Bowis

Information relating to the promotional and public information campaigns run by the Department of Transport and its agencies is not collected centrally. The figures relate to the central transport group of the Department of Transport only.

The figures for the last five years are as follows:

  • 1991–92: 8,270,000
  • 1992–93: 8,760,000
  • 1993–94: 8,275,000
  • 1994–95: 8,039,000
  • 1995–96: 8,356,0001
  • (i) estimate for current financial year:
  • 1996–97: 9,648,0001
  • (ii) detailed budget estimates for the next financial years have not yet been finalised.
  • 1 Expenditure for 1995–96 and 1996–97 includes advertising in respect of the flotation of Railtrack.