§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for the period 2 May 1997 to 29 February 2000 what was(a) the number of occasions on which couriers were used to distribute news releases from his Department and (b) the total cost of using couriers to distribute news releases. [113971]
§ Mr. Chris SmithThe Department has not used outside couriers to distribute news releases in that period.
The Parliamentary Lobby is provided with copies of news releases by the Department's messengers. The cost of this exercise cannot be separately estimated.
§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the(a) national, 838W (b) regional and (c) local newspapers and media bodies to which his Department sent news releases during the period 2 May 1997 to 29 February 2000. [113998]
§ Mr. Chris SmithNews releases are routinely sent to the Press Association (and if relevant PA Sport), national daily and Sunday newspapers, relevant BBC and ITN outlets, Sky News and IRN.
All releases are also given to the COI's News Distribution Service, which in turn supplies a copy to the Parliamentary Online Information Service (POLIS), which is available on-line to all hon. Members.
If releases have a regional angle, copies are either sent direct to local papers and broadcasters, or distributed by the relevant COI regional office. Further distribution depends on the particular news release and we could not, without disproportionate cost, provide a comprehensive list of bodies who have received one or more releases during the period in question.