asked Her Majesty's Government:

What payment Cycling England has made, or is contracted to make, to public relations consultants; and for what purposes. [HL6198]

Blue Rubicon has been contracted through the Central Office of Information since 2005 to provide PR consultancy services for Cycling England. The agency delivers a programme of activity targeting consumers and engaging stakeholders with the aim to get more people cycling, more safely, more often.

The total spend to date is £2.82 million. This includes costs for: running a general press office; website development and maintenance; development and promotion of Bikeability (Cycling England's flagship award scheme, teaching children to cycle safely and responsibly); event management; commissioning research into and promoting the benefits of cycling. The estimated spend for the rest of the financial year (October 2008-March 2009) is £341,995. The contract ends in March 2009 and is due to be retendered in January.