§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list his Department's(a) budgeted and (b) actual expenditure on opinion and market research during each financial year since 1996; what recent assessment he has made of the need to continue to monitor public opinion; by what means he intends to do it; and if will make a statement. [15375]
§ Mr. LeslieThe total expenditure on opinion and market research from the 1997–98 to the 2001–02 financial years is shown in the table.
Year £ million 1996–97 1— 1997–98 0.7 1998–99 0.9 1999–2000 0.3 2000–01 0.4 2001–02 20.4 1 Not available 2 Planned Notes:
1. The figures do not include the salary costs of Cabinet Office staff.
2. Expenditure undertaken by Central Office of Information on behalf of clients is not included.
We are reviewing the current and future requirements of the monitoring of public opinion but have not reached any firm conclusions on the tools or vehicles required. We will inform the House in the normal course of business of any conclusions or decisions made in this area.
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