Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his Department's advertising and communications expenditure was in each month since September 2014; and what that expenditure is forecast to be in March 2015.

The Department has been responsible for running some major campaigns over the course of this financial year. These include promoting the take up and increasing awareness of apprenticeships via the Get in, Go Far campaign and increasing awareness of rights for flexible working and shared parental leave. We have also encouraged businesses to grow and take advantage of support that is available through the Business is GREAT Britain and Do More Online campaigns and also encouraging the take up of Growth Vouchers. The expenditure for each of the months requested that have been classified as advertising and publicity is as follows:

September 2014 - £2,290,875

October 2014 - £1,813,933

November 2014 - £5,846,570

December 2014 - £1,729,298

January 2015 - £1,729,351

February 2015 - £8,080,370

March 2015 (spend to March 11th) - £856,003