§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list all qualitative and quantitative research projects and surveys carried out for her Department into aspects of public attitudes and opinions(a) in general and (b) in relation to specific policy proposals in each of the past three years to December 1995, indicating for each project or survey (i) the date on which the research was commissioned, (ii) the amount which her Department spent, (iii) who carried out the research, (iv) the number of people surveyed or taking part, (v) the location and the timescale and (vi) which individuals and organisations have been given access to the findings. [5975]
§ Mr. Robin Squire[holding answer 14 December 1995]: The Department undertakes a broad programme of research and evaluation including studies to assess the attitudes of parents, clients, employers and others to the 475W Department's policies and programmes. The details requested are given in the table. Information on the Department's expenditure on projects is not listed as this is, in a number of cases, commercially confidential.
The Department supports the "British Social Attitudes Survey" as part of a consortium of funders. The research is undertaken by Social Community Planning Research, SCPR. The survey covers a sample of 3,600 adults throughout Great Britain and surveys were conducted in 1993, 1994 and 1995. The findings are published by SCPR in November each year. The survey data are also deposited in the Economic and Social Research Council's data archive.
The Employment Service has commissioned a national customer satisfaction survey each year since 1989. The seventh survey was commissioned in May 1995 with a small qualitative study. The main survey was commissioned in July 1995 and fieldwork commenced in November. Since 1993, the survey has been undertaken by Public Attitude Surveys Ltd. The most recent survey included 3,000 claimants and 1,500 non-claimants and covers Great Britain. Reports on all the surveys have been placed in the House of Commons Library and are available to members of the public on request.
Quantitative and qualitative research into individuals'. attitudes towards lifetime learning was commissioned in May 1993. The studies were undertaken by Social and Community Planning Research. A total of 71 people took part in the qualitative phase in nine locations: Newcastle, Liverpool, London, Chester, Bedford, Diss (Norfolk), Pegswood (Northumberland), Butley (Suffolk) and Lamport (Northamptonshire). The quantitative survey involved 1,403 people throughout England. The qualitative study was completed in July 1993 and the main survey fieldwork was undertaken in September and October 1993. The results of both studies have been published in the Department's research series and are available to members of the public. Copies have also been placed in the House of Commons Library and with the Employment Select Committee.
A project was commissioned in January 1995 to assess parent's level of knowledge about and attitudes towards education in schools. The project was undertaken by Counterpoint Research. Approximately 120 parents were involved in the survey in eight locations throughout England and Wales: Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford, Bristol, Birmingham, inner London, suburban London, Cardiff and Oakham. The Department has produced a short summary of the main findings and copies have been lodged with the citizens charter unit.
In addition, the Department has commissioned a number of projects to develop and evaluate its publicity campaigns. Since April 1994 a summary of findings from these projects has been made available to interested parties on request. Details of these projects are as listed.
476W
Project: Grant-maintained schools Purpose: Assessing parental awareness Date commissioned: February 1993 Agency: Audience selection Timescale: Four days Sample size: 413 Location: North and South
477W
Project: National Curriculum testing of seven. 11 and 14-year-olds Purpose: Evaluation of publicity campaign Date commissioned: February 1993 Agency: British Market Research Bureau Timescale: Two months Sample size: 600 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: "It's Your Choice" booklet Purpose: Creative development Date commissioned: February 1993 Agency: Diagnostics Timescale: One month Sample size: Eight group interviews Location: North and South Project: Teacher recruitment Purpose: Creative development Date commissioned: March 1993 Agency: Carne Martin Timescale: Three months Sample size: Ten group interviews Location: North, Midlands and South Project: National Curriculum testing of seven, 11 and 14-year-olds Purpose: Creative development Date commissioned: March 1993 Agency: Ted Hudson Timescale: One month Sample size: Seven group interviews Location: Selection of inner city, suburban and shire areas Project: National Curriculum testing of seven, 11 and 14-year-olds Purpose: Assessing parents' views on new arrangements for testing Date commissioned: May 1993 Agency: Bulmershe Research Timescale: Four days Sample size: 1,037 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: Parent's Charter Purpose: Creative development Date commissioned: June 1993 Agency: Counterpoint Timescale: One month Sample size: Eight group interviews Location: North, Midlands and South Project: Further and Higher Education Charters Purpose: Creative development Date commissioned: June 1993 Agency: Diagnostics Timescale: One month Sample size: 14 groups Location: Liverpool, Birmingham, London, Nottingham and Manchester Project: DFE exhibitions—touring roadshow for parents Purpose: Campaign evaluation Date commissioned: July 1993 Agency: Martin Hamblin Research Timescale: Two months Sample size: 605 Location: At roadshow venues
478W
Project: Grant-maintained schools Purpose: Assessing parental awareness Date commissioned: July 1993 Agency: Bulmershe Research Timescale: Two months Sample size: 200 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: School performance tables Purpose: Creative development Date commissioned: July 1993 Agency: Martin Hamblin Research Timescale: One month Sample size: 50 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: "Your Child's New School" leaflet Purpose: Creative development Date commissioned: August 1993 Agency: Martin Hamblin Research Timescale: One month Sample size: 69 Location: Newcastle and Chatham Project: Further and Higher Education Charters Purpose: Effectiveness evaluation Date commissioned: September 1993 Agency: Martin Hamblin Research Timescale: Three months Sample size: 1,000 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: Human resource development exhibition Purpose: Evaluation of participation Date commissioned: October 1993 Agency: Martin Hamblin Research Timescale: One month Sample size: 115 Location: At exhibition venue Project: Grant-maintained schools Purpose: Assessing parental awareness Date commissioned: November 1993 Agency: Marianne Ridgewell Timescale: One month Sample size: S group interviews Location: North, Midlands and South Project: Proposed parental involvement publicity campaign Purpose: Creative development Date commissioned: November 1993 Agency: One World Research Timescale: One month Sample size: Three group interviews Location: London, Birmingham and Manchester Project: School performance tables Purpose: Evaluation of information in 1993 tables Date commissioned: January 1994 Agency: Audience Selection/GD Research Timescale: Two months Sample size: 600 Location: Islington, Stockport, Peterborough and Birmingham Project: National Curriculum Testing of 7, 11 and 14 year olds Purpose: Ascertaining current perceptions among teachers Date commissioned: January 1994 Agency: Audience Selection Timescale: Two months Sample size: 500 Location: Islington, Stockport, Peterborough, Birmingham
479W
Project: National Curriculum Testing of 7, 11 and 14 year olds Purpose: Evaluation of 1993 publicity campaign Date commissioned: January 1994 Agency: British Market Research Bureau Timescale: Three months Sample size: 1,000 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: Educational Provision for Under 5s Purpose: Assessing parental views on provision Date commissioned: March 1994 Agency: Bulmershe Research Timescale: Four days Sample size: 500 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: Updated Parent's Charter Purpose: Evaluation of publicity campaign Date commissioned: June 1994 Agency: Research Surveys of Great Britain Timescale: Three months Sample size: 2,000 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: Schools Update booklet Purpose: Evaluation of booklet Date commissioned: July 1994 Agency: Reflexions Timescale: One month Sample size: 400 individuals and six group interviews Location: North, Midlands and South Project: DFE Exhibitions—Touring Roadshow for Parents 1994 Purpose: Campaign evaluation Date commissioned: July 1994 Agency: Alpha Research Timescale: Five weeks Sample size: 239 Location: Roadshow locations Project: Parents' Information Needs Purpose: Assessing parents' attitudes to different sources of information on education Date commissioned: September 1994 Agency: Counterpoint Timescale: Two months Sample size: 15 group interviews Location: North, Midlands and South Project: School Performance Tables Purpose: Creative development Date commissioned: September 1994 Agency: GD Research Timescale: One week Sample size: 24 Location: Islington, Stockport, Wolverhampton and Capel St. Mary Project: School Performance Tables Purpose: Publicity campaign evaluation Date commissioned: November 1994 Agency: Audience Selection Timescale: Four months Sample size: 900 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: Parents' Information Needs Purpose: Assessing parents' attitudes to different sources of information on education Date commissioned: March 1995 Agency: Research Surveys of Great Britain Timescale: One month Sample size: 2,000 Location: North, Midlands and South
480W
Project: The role of Skill—National Bureau for Students with Disabilities Purpose: Identifying the information needs of students with disabilities Date commissioned: March 1995 Agency: British Market Research Bureau Timescale: One month Sample size: 2,000 Location: South East, West Midlands, Devon, Swansea Project: Grant-Maintained Schools Purpose: Evaluation of GM publications Date commissioned: April 1995 Agency: Reflexions Timescale: Two months Sample size: 72 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: National School Tests Purpose: Evaluation of regional radio publicity Date commissioned: May 1995 Agency: Martin Hamblin Research Timescale: Five days Sample size: 522 Location: Bristol, Birmingham, Newcastle and Nottingham
Project: Parents' Information Needs Purpose: Assessing parents' attitudes to different sources of information Date commissioned: October 1995 Agency: Counterpoint Timescale: One month Sample size: 14 group interviews Location: North, Midlands and South Project: School Performance Tables Purpose: Evaluation of information in the 1995 tables Date commissioned: October 1995 Agency: Audience Selection Timescale: Two months Sample size: 900 Location: North, Midlands and South Project: Nursery Education Vouchers Purpose: Publicity evaluation and planning Date commissioned: December 1995 Agency: British Market Research Bureau Timescale: Two months Sample size: 300 Location: Wandsworth, Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea