Public Opinion Research

Dr. Cable
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on commissioning public opinion research in each of the last five years for which records are available.

John Healey
I refer to the answers given to the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois) on 4 December 2006, Official Report, column 196W, and on 25 July 2006, Official Report, column 1383W, and to the hon. Member for Angus (Mr. Weir) on 15 December 2005, Official Report, column 2265W. The cost to the Treasury of the joint poll for the Treasury and the Sutton Trust was £10,000. The joint survey with the Department for Communities and Local Government as part of the Lyons inquiry was commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Spending on public opinion research is not recorded as a separate category in the Treasury’s accounting system, so further information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.