To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent by her Department on advertising in weekly and regional newspapers in each of the last five years. (277162)

The Department buys advertising space via the central contracts operated by the Central Office of Information. They have confirmed that the Department spent £405,165 in total on regional press advertising through the COI last year, £1,184,904 in total in 2007-08 and £646,826 in total in 2006-07.

COI do not hold records of any such spend by CLG’s predecessor Departments in the period requested.