§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total expenditure was on(a) advertising, (b) polling, (c) focus groups, (d) design consultants, (e) caterers, (f) production of departmental publications and (g) photographs/photographers by her Department for each year since 1995 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms; what was (A) the annual percentage increase in spending on each category and (B) spending on each category as a percentage of the total departmental running costs; and if she will make a statement. [6902]
§ Mr. MorleyDEFRA was created on 8 June 2001. Historic information prior to this date, relating to the merged operations which constitute DEFRA, could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
742WPublicity expenditure is not recorded in the format requested. Our records show a publicity spend for the six months following DEFRA's creation of £1,373,737 and includes the categories in the question.
This expenditure is not exhaustive and excludes foot and mouth disease expenditure and the merged ex-DETR directorates, also non-departmental public bodies and agencies. The recovery of this expenditure would incur a disproportionate cost.
The Government are committed to using only whatever channel is judged to be the most cost-effective way to deliver the publicity necessary to support the implementation of policy. Paid advertising is resorted to only after careful consideration.