§ Viscount Goschenasked Her Majesty's Government:
What rules are in place governing the use of public funds to publish material or to commission advertising to promote or describe the perceived achievements of the Government; and [HL4545]
What publications they have sponsored, and what advertising programmes they have commissioned, since May 1997, which have described the perceived achievements of the Government; and what has been the cost to public funds of these initiatives; and [HL4546]
Whether they have any plans to sponsor further publications or to commission further advertising which will describe the perceived achievements of the Government; and, if so, what are the anticipated costs of these proposals. [HL4547]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe Government produce a large number of publications which explain and inform the public about government policies and the progress of these policies, and will continue to do so where appropriate. Advertising is used only to support specific programmes. The conventions governing the production of all publications and advertising are laid out in the Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service [Cabinet Office 1997]. This Guidance can be found as part ofThe GICS Handbook, copies of which are in the Library of the House and on the GICS website www.gics.gov.uk/handbook.