HL Deb 23 April 2001 vol 625 cc5-6WA
Lord Swinfen

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is the policy of all government departments to ensure that any television advertisements that they commission always provide closed caption subtitles for deaf and hard of hearing people. [HL703]

The Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)

Advertising is the responsibility of individual departments. However, the Central Office of Information, which handles the majority of government advertising, has a policy that any government commercials that are commissioned through it provide closed caption subtitles for the deaf.

The only exceptions are recruitment commercials for the Armed Forces.