§ Mr. Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenditure has been incurred by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies(a) in 1996–97 and (b) since 1 May 1997 on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; if he will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each; and if he will make a statement. [26674]
§ Mr. Michael[holding answer 5 February 1998]: Purposes for which surveys involving public consultation were undertaken by the Home Office in the financial year 1996–97 are as summarised.
52W(i) Opinion polls—none.(ii) Focus groups.To canvas public attitudes about the police service they expect and the priorities for police service delivery—£28,880.To test the 'Gap Analysis' methodology for assessing public expectations of policing. Gap analysis shows levels of dissatisfaction with a service by measuring the level of service the public expects from a particular organisation, and what level of service they perceive is actually delivered. It indicates where effort can best be focused to improve public satisfaction—£5,816.To develop fire safety advertising campaign—£3,525.To develop radio advertising for Special Constable recruitment campaign—£6,580.(iii) Other forms of market research.To find out about public attitudes to CS gas—£7,500.Pre-campaign awareness tracking—electoral registration campaign—£4,230.To measure ownership and maintenance of smoke alarms prior to advertising campaign–9,067.Post-campaign awareness tracing—Special Constables recruitment campaign—£20,872.The Office for National Statistics conducted for the Home Office a survey of public attitudes to drug-related crime, as part of their Omnibus Survey—£15,000.The surveys involving public consultation undertaken by the Home Office since 1 May 1997 are as follows:(i) Opinion polls—none.(ii) Focus groups.To canvas public attitudes about the police service they expect and their priorities for police service delivery—£10,674.The development of fire safety advertising campaign—£17,962.(iii) Other forms of market research.Victim survey and public perceptions of environmental change—£26,261.Post campaign awareness tracking—annual electoral registration campaign–9,684.Forensic Science Service staff survey—£12,000.Immigration staff survey—£12,513.Home Office staff survey—£26,795.Survey to provide a benchmark study for customer perception of forensic service delivery. (Requirement of Forensic Science Service framework document)—£11,166.In addition, the British Crime Survey, which is primarily used to measure crime against households through interviews with the general public, includes questions about attitudes. The current sweep asks respondents about their attitudes to punishment, the police and victim support.