§ Mr. MaclennanTo ask the Secretary of State for jythe Environment, Transport and the Regions what his Department's policy is on(a) advertising and (b) acknowledging company sponsorship on the websites of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies; which companies (i) have placed advertisements and (ii) are acknowledged as sponsors on those websites; how much revenue has been received for each financial year since 1997 from such advertisements and sponsorship; and if that revenue has been retained within the budget of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies. [119546]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe DETR's policy for its main website complies with the Cabinet Office's framework policy and guidelines for the use, management and design of public sector websites. These form part of the e-government strategy (formerly known as the Government corporate IT strategy). Copies of this document are available from the Library of the House.
DETR's main website has not so far carried any advertising nor been sponsored by companies. Were we to accept sponsorship, it would be subject to the policy for other forms of publication, which is in line with the Cabinet Office note "Guidance for Departments on Sponsorship", May 1997. Copies of this document are also available from the Library of the House.
Above all, acknowledgement of any sponsorship would not imply any endorsement of the sponsor's goods or services, nor be open to misinterpretation as influencing policy making.
It will take longer to gather information requested in respect of the Department's Agencies and NDPBs. I will write to the hon. Member with this information and place a copy in the Library in due course.