Written question asked by Mark Francois (Conservative) on Wednesday, 2 May 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 8 May 2007. It was answered by John Healey (Labour) on Monday, 18 June 2007 on behalf of the Treasury.

Departmental Expenditure

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006, Official Report, column 196W, on departmental expenditure, what payments have been made by his Department to (a) Opinion Leader Research and (b) other opinion research companies since December 2006.

Answer: In December 2006, the Economic Secretary commissioned Brian Pomeroy, chairman of the Financial Inclusion Taskforce, to undertake a review of commercially run hamper schemes and savings clubs to consider whether the savings needs of consumers of such products might be better met by mainstream financial providers. As part of the review, HM Treasury commissioned Opinion Leader to carry out two half-day workshops with consumers of these types of products to gain first hand evidence to support the review at a cost of £50,955 including VAT. A response to (b) could be provided only at disproportionate cost as the nature of a supplier’s business is not recorded in the Treasury’s accounting system and may not be self evident from the supplier’s name.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 461 c1495W; 136309
Session: 2006-07
Related items: Departmental Expenditure
Wednesday, 4 July 2007
Written questions
House of Commons; Departmental Expenditure
Monday, 4 December 2006
Written questions
House of Commons; Departmental Expenditure
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Treasury Opinion polls
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk