To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department plans to spend in the current financial year on (a) radio advertising to encourage the public to have an influenza vaccination and (b) fees to Stephen Fry for voicing such radio advertisements. (229894)

The radio media costs of the influenza vaccination campaign in financial year 2008-09 are expected to be £383,000.

We are unable to provide Stephen Fry's precise fee for the flu immunisation radio campaign. This is because Mr. Fry's fee was specifically negotiated by the Central Office of Information with his agent on behalf of Department, and disclosure would represent a breach of commercial in confidence.

The total production and playout costs for the three radio advertisements being used for the campaign were £24,900 including Mr. Fry's fee.