To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006, Official Report, columns 719-20W, on advertising expenditure, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the information campaign targeted at small independent businesses. (84670)

In early June 2005, my Department launched a licensing communications campaign including PR, advertising and direct mail which targeted small independent businesses. The awareness-raising campaign proved highly effective and, together with the efforts of local authorities, trade associations and other stakeholders, helped increase the overall rate of applications from less than 5 per cent. in May 2005 to an estimated 98 per cent. of expected applications having been made by the time the new regime came into effect on 24 November.