Press Release
Thursday 1 April 2004

Row Continues Over Government
'Information Campaign'

Following on from last week's revelation that the Government's 'Information Campaign' had only produced 139,200 brochures for the 2,500,000 North East residents it now emerges that they had not sought advice from the Electoral Commission as to whether the leaflets were adequate to represent both sides of the argument.

Questions have been raised at public meetings organised by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister that what we were witnessing was not an 'Information Campaign' where both sides of the argument could be aired, but a Government Propaganda campaign.

Therefore, questions are now being asked regarding the legitimacy of the use of public money in such a way.

This follows on from the scandal last year, exposed by Neil Herron, when the unelected North East Assembly was publicly censured by the District Auditor for unlawfully using public money to drive forward a pro elected Assembly agenda.

Neil Herron, Director of the No Campaign states,

"We are finding it very difficult to put forward the No perspective in light of the massive financial imbalance. The public has a right to know what the cons are as well as the pros with regard to regional Government and equal funding will not be available until late August.

"The Government campaign is most certainly not providing the public with a balance, and with one biased leaflet per nineteen people this referendum campaign is rapidly descending into a complete and expensive shambles and is an insult to the people of the North East."

ENDS

Hansard report below

Contact:
Neil Herron - Campaign Director, North East No Campaign

48 Frederick Street
Sunderland
SR1 1NF
Tel. 0191 5657143
Mob. 07776 202045

Government Publicity - Questions in the House of Commons
Extract from Hansard, 25 March 2004

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of whether the leaflets (a) A new opportunity for Yorkshire and the Humber, (b) A new opportunity for the North West and (c) A new opportunity for the North East meet the criteria of the guidance on Government publicity and advertising; and if he will make a statement. [163657]

Mr. Raynsford: The information campaign to inform the public of the Government's intention to hold referendums in the three regions is being conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is satisfied that both the text and the design of all three leaflets meet the criteria of this guidance.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department sought the opinion of the Electoral Commission before publishing the leaflets (a) A new opportunity for the North, (b) A new opportunity for the North West and (c) A new opportunity for Yorkshire and the Humber. [163658]

Mr. Raynsford: No. We are however in regular contact with the Electoral Commission on all matters relating to referendums on elected regional assemblies that are within their remit.

(Dominic Grieve is MP for Beaconsfield)