§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the title and purpose of each item of market and opinion research commissioned by or through his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, stating in each case whether the results were published. [89696]
§ Mr. Hoon[holding answer 5 July 1999]Since May 1997, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has funded three pieces of public opinion research centrally. A survey of opinion formers in Pakistan and a public image survey in the Eastern Caribbean helped to establish how Britain is perceived in these two areas, to highlight misconceptions, and to measure Britain's profile. Results of these two surveys have not been published. A survey on British public attitudes to Europe in 1997 helped us prepare for the EU Presidency; a copy of the results has been placed in the Libraries of the House. It would involve disproportionate costs to provide the information requested for work carried out by individual FCO posts.