HC Deb 12 November 2003 vol 413 c315W
Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list each item of market and opinion research commissioned since May 1997 by(a) his Department and (b) agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible; what the purpose of each item was; and whether the results were published. [137017]

Mr. Gareth Thomas

In 1998, the Department for International Development (DFID) undertook baseline qualitative and quantitative research among the UK public and opinion leaders. The purpose was (1) to explore existing attitudes to and perceptions of Britain's overseas development programme; (2) to understand how language and communications relating to international development work might be improved; (3) to pre-test new concepts and identify approaches that achieve real domestic resonance. The results of the research are published on the Department's website.

DFID commissions two annual public opinion polls. Both polls monitor public attitudes to and support for international development. One (undertaken annually since 1999) monitors the opinion of the UK adult population and the results are used to inform, and monitor the impact of, the development awareness work of the Department. The second (undertaken annually since 2000) monitors the opinion of schoolchildren and the results are used to inform, and monitor the impact of, the development education work of the Department. The results of both polls are published on the Department's website.

This year, DFID commissioned focus group research. The purpose is to research how we can increase levels of understanding of, and support for, international development within the UK. When the results are available, they will be published on the Department's website.

Since May 1997, no DFID agencies or non-departmental public bodies have commissioned market or opinion research.