§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average cost of issuing a media release from his Department in 1999. [110275]
§ Mr. Straw[holding answer 16 February 2000]: Some 450 press releases were issued in 1999. The primary cost of issuing press releases relates to their electronic distribution which is carried out through the Central Office of Information, and postage. Electronic news distribution charges amounted to £21,095 and postage approximately £12,000 for the financial year 1999–2000. No central record of other costs which might be involved (eg faxing, e-mail) is available. The variation in the distribution and length of press releases and in their
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£000 New initiative receiving grant funding 1997–98 1998–99 1999–20001 Crime reduction programme Crime reduction partnership training and support — — 800 Reducing burglary — — 600 Targeted policing — — 600 On track — — 200 Work with offenders — — 900 Intervention in schools — — 600 Youth inclusion schemes — — 100 Sentencing and restorative justice — — 200 Design against crime — — 400 Development of arrest referral schemes — — 700 Council for the registration of forensic practitioners — — 200 CCTV initiative 15,000 1,500 3,600 Support for victims Payment of grant to the 'support after murder and manslaughter' charity — 43 100 Community support grants Active community initiatives — — 700 Older volunteers initiative — — 788 Regional voluntary sector networks — — 573 preparation, combined with the fact that many include accompanying documents, makes the calculation of a robust average charge an exercise which would be disproportionately costly.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's advertising budget for(a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [110262]
§ Mr. Straw[holding answer 16 February 2000]: The Home Office advertising budget for financial year 1999–2000 is £5.9 million.
The Home Office advertising budget for financial year 2000–01 has not yet been decided.