Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much his Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In financial year 2023/2024 the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) spent a total of £8,316,561.37 on communications. This is inclusive of £3,516,253.54 which are payroll related costs for staff who work in the Communications Directorate.
The DSIT Communications Team is responsible for all communications conducted by the department and its Ministers to help inform, promote and explain departmental policies through traditional and new media channels. This includes a number of paid-for marketing campaigns such as those designed to encourage uptake of R&D funding made available through Horizon Europe and campaigns to build skills required for the jobs of the future.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government develops wide-ranging national and international campaigns which are delivered through tailored communication strategies aimed at reaching target audiences. The total FCDO Communication Directorate's communication campaign activity for FY23-24 was £6,435,000. We remain committed to scrutiny, transparency, and best value for taxpayer money. Please note that the majority of campaign expenditure is covered by other relevant Departments.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much his Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
For the financial year 2023/24 the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spent £7.6m on communications including payroll and advertising.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people work in her Department's Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing team.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are 25 people (not all full time) who work in the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing (EDIW) Team.
The EDIW team is vital in supporting DWP in creating a safe, healthy, diverse and inclusive environment that meets our statutory obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty and Equality Act whilst delivering value for the taxpayer. The team is also responsible for the contract management of both DWP’s Employee Assistance Programme and its Occupational Health provision for the department.
There are 23.2 FTE equivalent staff in the team, within the HR Directorate. They serve 92,448 DWP employees.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government Communications Service spent on filming content for Ministers’ social media channels in each of the last five years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Government Departments are responsible for their own social media content. The Government Communications Service does not provide a central resource for this. The Cabinet Office employs two digital officers who are responsible for producing social media content, including videos, for the Department's policies and in support of the Department's Ministers.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Cabinet Office Communications total spend (pay and non-pay) was £2,988,971.49 in FY 23/24, and it has a total budget (pay and non-pay) of £2,460,684.00 in FY 24/25.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much her Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the last year (August 2023 to July 2024) the Department spent £6,128,135 on paid communications campaigns.
The majority of this spend was for the THINK! campaign, which is a key pillar in the Department’s commitment to improving road safety. THINK! aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the road through changing attitudes and behaviours among those at most risk. The campaign focuses on priority issues including drink driving and speeding, as well as communicating key policy interventions.
In the past year, the Department ran THINK! Campaigns across paid channels in England and Wales to tackle drink driving, seat belt use and speeding and among high-risk male drivers aged 17-24.
The total spend also includes the ‘It’s Everyone’s Journey’ campaign which aims to raise awareness of the needs of disabled people among the general travelling public, and to create a more supportive travelling environment to improve confidence and increase the use of public transport by disabled people.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much her Department spent on communications in the last 12 months for which data is available.
Answered by Heidi Alexander - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The spend in 2023/24 for the Ministry of Justice’s Core Communications team 2023/24 was £8,903,437. This spend covers the staff and non-staff costs for internal communications, strategic communications, campaigns, marketing, external affairs, insight & evaluation, digital communications and our press office. It is worth noting that 2023/24 accounts are still to be audited, so may be subject to change.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department spent on communications in the last year for which data is available.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions delivers a range of campaigns which are essential in ensuring that vulnerable people and pensioners are aware of the financial support that they are eligible for.
Appropriate advertising is a key government approach to ensure that target audiences receive the correct information and the media channels used are selected based upon their potential impact and cost, ensuring value for money for the taxpayer.
During 2023/24 DWP spent approximately £10m across various media channels for the communications campaigns required.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department spent on communications in the latest year for which data is available.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT), including spend by predecessor Department for International Trade (DIT), spent £24,299,000 on communications in financial year 2022-2023 as reported in the Department’s annual report and accounts, available on GOV.UK.
This spend has supported DBT’s strategic efforts to promote the UK’s international trade agenda and achievements, position it as a destination for inward investment, and boost export promotion.