§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the total expenditure and the breakdown of expenditure was in his Department for the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000, and what the planned expenditure and 29W breakdown of expenditure for 2000–01 is on (i) public opinion research, (ii) television, radio and newspaper advertising and (iii) direct mail. [149268]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 8 February 2001]: Full figures for 1996–97 are available only for the Departments Headquarters. These are Public Opinion Research £301,083,20, Advertising £3 691,169.64, Direct Mail £63,861.16.
A breakdown of expenditure for the years 1997–98 was given on 17 December 1998 Official Report, columns 718–19W.
A breakdown was given for the estimated spend for 1998–99. The breakdown of expenditure for the years 1998–99 and 1999–2000 is given as follows, as is the estimated spend for the year 2000–01
For 1998–99 figures for the Benefits Agency were Public Opinion Research £83,703, Advertising, £29,738. Direct Mail £10,524.
The Contributions Agency transferred to the Inland Revenue in April 1999 and no figures are available.
Work done on behalf of the Child Support Agency is done by the Departments Headquarters and these figures are included in that breakdown.
For the War Pensions Agency figures are: Public Opinion Research £4,569, Advertising £1,400, Direct Mail £1,100.
For the Department Headquarters, which includes Communications Directorate and Analytical Services Directorate the figures are: Public Opinion Research £668,179, Advertising £4,617,945.81, Direct Mail £315,346.46.
For the year 1999–2000 for the Benefits Agency figures were: Public Opinion Research £207,440, Advertising £24,406, Direct Mail £98,332.
For the War Pensions Agency figures were: Public Opinion Research £2,388, Advertising £18,000, Direct Mail £1,200.
For the Departments Headquarters the figure was: Public Opinion Research £792,115.14, Advertising £2,756,705.70, Direct Mail £144,301.29.
The estimated spend for the year 2000–01 in the Benefits Agency is: Public Opinion Research £219,499, Advertising £11,502, Direct Mail Nil.
In the War Pensions Agency it is: Public Opinion Research £5,000, Advertising £23,500, Direct Mail £1,400.
In the Departments Headquarters the estimated spend is: Public Opinion Research £1,154,112, Advertising £11,336,000, Direct Mail £5,815,000.
Notes:
1. The term Advertising in my answer I elates to TV, Radio and Newspaper advertising.
2. The estimated increase in spending on Advertising for the year 2000–01 takes into account the work being undertaken by the Department around the Minimum Income Guarantee uptake campaign, Pensions Education and anti-fraud activity.