§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of total expenditure by his Department on(a) focus groups and (b) opinion polls in each year from 1995–96 to 2003–04; and if he will make a statement.[162750]
§ Mr. RammellFocus groups and internal/external opinion polls are not managed centrally. The subject of the group or poll would determine which department within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) managed it. For example, the FCO's Information Directorate (responsible for explaining UK foreign policy, creating systems to deliver this information, both internally and to the public, and the development of relationships with the FCO's key partners in shaping and communicating policy) spent £311,000 on focus groups and polls in 2003–04. To collate all costs relating to groups and polls would incur disproportionate costs.