To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenditure has been incurred by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies (a) in 1996–97 and (b) since 1 May 1997 on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; if he will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each; and if he will make a statement. [26599]
[holding answer 5 February 1998]: A list of research projects carried out by the Department in the financial year 1996–97 and since 1 May 1997 has been placed in the Library. The cost of each individual survey is a matter of commercial confidentiality. The total expenditure for 1996–97 and the estimated costs of work commissioned since 1 May 1997 are:
| –million | ||
| 1996–97 | Since 1 May 1997 | |
| Department | ||
| i) opinion polling | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| ii) focus groups | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| iii) other market research | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Agencies | ||
| iii) other market research | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Total | ||
| i) opinion polling | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| ii) focus groups | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| iii) other market research | 0.3 | 0.2 |
The Department has a major survey programme amounting to £5 million which is "social research" not "market research" as ordinarily understood. The purpose of this research is to monitor change and inform policy development. As part of this programme the Department commissions questions to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) omnibus survey to look at behaviour and attitudes of the general population on specific topics. Although the majority of questions focus on behaviour some of these questions might be considered "opinion polling". For example, questions have been asked within the smoking module on views about tobacco advertising.
In 1996–97, questions on food safety, back pain, condoms, contraception, drinking, smoking, sun exposure, living wills, attitudes to mental illness and part time working patterns of children aged 10–16 were undertaken. The total cost was £350,000.
Since 1 May 1997, questions on contraception and condoms usage, sun exposure and smoking have been commissioned on the ONS omnibus. These costs totalled £220,000.