To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the transcript of oral evidence from the Public Administration Select Committee on Government Communications, 14 January 2010, HC 219-i, question 42 on the pre-Budget report, if she will place in the Library a copy of the evidential basis for determining the marketing and communication budget; what the financial value in absolute terms is of the proposed reduction; and over what time period such a reduction is proposed to take place. (318331)

I have been asked to reply.

The 2009 pre-Budget report announced that Government would save £650 million from cuts of 50 per cent. in consultancy spend and 25 per cent. in marketing and communications (based on 2009-10 spending levels) spend across Government by 2012-13.