HC Deb 03 February 1997 vol 289 cc492-4W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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. [7413]

Mr. Burt

The information is not available in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Such information as is available is as follows:

Headquarters Publicity campaigns currently running during the 1996–97 financial year are as follows:

Pensions campaign

  • Providing information to specialists groups, including employers, scheme administrators and trustees, about the implications of the 1995 Pensions Act.
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  • The estimated cost is £1.3 million. Plans for the next six months have not yet been finalised.
  • The majority of the work is commissioned through the Central Office of Information.

Disability campaign

  • A public information campaign on the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, aimed at service providers, employers, adviser groups and members of the public (including disabled people).
  • Activity for the next six months is not yet finalised and will depend partly on the results of research into the success of recent publicity activity and partly on the continuing demand for information materials generated by publicity activity during the past three months.
  • The total cost for period April 1996 to March 1997 is estimated at £2.5 million [See background note at (1)]

Anti-fraud

  • The departmental headquarters is running national and local anti-fraud campaigns in conjunction with the Benefits Agency. This year, we have run two phases of local "Spotlight on Benefit Cheats" campaigns, and national publicity to launch the national benefit fraud hotline.
  • Activity for the next six months has not yet been finalised but we may run further campaigns between January and March 1997.
  • Cost to headquarters and Benefits Agency security branch is estimated at £1.75 million.

Working with Benefits

  • The Department's headquarters is running a national campaign to promote awareness of in-work benefits—that is, family credit and disability working allowance.
  • This campaign is running in two phases; the first in July-August 1996; the second in January—February 1997.
  • The estimated cost is estimated at £2.655 million.

Earnings Top-up Pilot

  • The departmental headquarters will promote earnings top-up on a pilot basis in eight areas.
  • The campaign began in September 1996 and will run through to the end of the financial year.
  • The estimated cost is estimated at £1.2 million.

Parent Plus

  • This is a pilot scheme to help lone parents return to work.
  • Preparation has already begun on the work which will begin in March 1997. Plans for its continuance are flexible over the general election period.
  • The estimated cost is £108,000.

Benefits Agency

Pensions

  • This is a locally delivered information campaign aimed at raising awareness of benefits for pensioners and is planned to start in late January.
  • The estimated cost to the Benefits Agency is £80,000 and the work is commissioned by the Benefits Agency press and publicity officers to independent companies such as printers and exhibition organisers. The duration of the campaign is estimated to be four weeks.

Disability

  • This is a planned campaign to raise awareness of a new disability living allowance child claim pack and is set to begin in April 1997.
  • The cost to the Benefits Agency is estimated to be £50,000. A mail shot will last for approximately two weeks. From then on, the claim pack will be available in local offices and post offices.

Anti-Fraud

  • This is a local campaign in support of the national campaign run by headquarters and the cost to the agency is estimated at £700,000.
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  • Working with Benefits
  • A local campaign in support of the national campaign run by headquarters and the estimated cost is £240,000.

Contributions Agency

  • The agency has a continuing programme of publicity aimed at informing employers and employees of contributions requirements including mailshots, leaflets and exhibitions. In particular, it has an on-going campaign to encourage payment of class 2 contributions by direct debit. The total estimated cost will be £1,904,056.
  • All publicity is undertaken on a rolling basis and is on-going throughout succeeding financial years.

Child Support Agency Nothing current or planned.

War Pensions Agency Nothing current or planned.

Information Technology Services Agency Nothing current or planned.

Notes:

It is not possible to separate promotional activities from public information campaigns. The figures quoted are for publicity only.