HC Deb 16 February 1999 vol 325 cc656-7W
Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press releases have been issued by his Department, its agencies and non-departmental bodies in each of the years 1990 to 1998. [71449]

Mr. Straw

The information for my Department and its agencies is as follows:

Year Home Office Prison Service Forensic Science Service
1990 475
1991 1452
1992 340
1993 319 56

Year Home Office Prison Service Forensic Science Service
1994 314 68
1995 308 61
1996 404 57
1997 386 67 11
1998 524 73 17
1 Figures include any press releases issued for the Passport Agency and Forensic Science Service (FSS) until April 1997. Thereafter, FSS figures are shown separately.

I shall ask the Chief Executives of the non-departmental bodies to write to the hon. Member shortly with information about any press releases they may have issued.

Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the conventions governing the propriety and cost of press releases issued by his Department, its agencies and non-departmental bodies; and what is the total cost of the press releases issued since May 1997. [71464]

Mr. Straw

Rules governing the work of the Government Information and Communication Service are laid down in the Guidance on the work of the Government Information Service published by the Cabinet Office in July 1997. More specific guidance on the writing and issuing of press releases is given in the Working Guide for Information Officers. Copies of both documents are in the Library.

The primary costs of issuing press releases relate to their electronic distribution, which is carried out through the Central Office of Information, and postage. The estimated total of these costs is £36,124. No central record of other costs which may be involved (e.g. faxing, e-mail etc.) is available.