To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contracts were awarded by his Department to Opinion Leader Research in each year since 1997; and what was (a) the title and purpose, (b) the cost to the public purse and (c) the dates of (i) tender, (ii) award, (iii) operation and (iv) completion and report to the Department in each case. (165269)

DEFRA came into being in June 2001. From information held centrally the core-department’s expenditure with Opinion Leader Research in the financial years 2003-04 to 2007-08 (to date) is as follows:

The department does not hold centrally the title and purpose of each project, and the dates on which the project was put to tender, carried out, completed and its findings put to the department. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.