To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department and its agencies have spent on (a) opinion polling, (b) focus groups and (c) other forms of market research in each year since 1997; what such surveys have been commissioned; and what the purpose was of each. (261262)

The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

However, records are available of the amounts spent on polling and focus groups by the central media and communications organisation dating back to 2001-02. Earlier records are not available.

It is not possible to split out the costs of opinion polls and focus groups, the figures provided will include both these elements.

These costs relate to polling carried out by our central media and communications division to establish attitudes of the public to various aspects of defence activity.