Written question asked by Caroline Spelman (Conservative) on Thursday, 30 April 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 6 May 2009. It was answered by Baroness Beckett (Labour) on Tuesday, 19 May 2009 on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Homes and Communities Agency: Public Relations

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 2 April 2009, Official Report, column 1505W, on the Homes and Communities Agency, which public affairs firms the Tenant Services Authority engaged; what the (a) duration and (b) monetary value of each contract is; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the (i) brief and (ii) contract for each item of work.

Answer: The TSA engaged the public affairs company APCO to provide help in developing the core narrative and key messages of the TSA through work in the political environment and to engage key stakeholders to gain buy in and understanding of, and to test, the aforementioned. The brief was also to campaign with politicians to raise awareness of the TSA.(a) APCO were initially employed from August 2008 to February 2009. An additional three months' work was then agreed, to a reduced specification.(b) The fee for the initial project was a retainer of £9,500 per month for a period of seven months between August 2008 and February 2009, totalling £76,000. The additional three-month contract was for time spent up to the value of £1,500 per month.(i) and (ii) I intend to place a copy of the briefs and contract in the Library once we have obtained agreement from APCO and removed any commercially sensitive information.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 492 c1345-6W; 273455
Session: 2008-09
Related items: Deposited Paper DEP2009-2970
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
Deposited papers
House of Commons; Departmental Conferences
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Public relations Tenant Services Authority
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk