IN order to survey an adequate sample of propaganda in local areas, together with the related Speakers’ Daily Reports, 30 local case studies were selected, using statistics from the card-index database. A representative survey required that these constituencies should cover

1. 1. varied regions (ten from each);

2. 2. different types of social composition (and their numerical significance within each region);

3. 3. different secretarial affiliations;

4. 4. WACs established at varying times throughout their period of operations.

These four issues were all judged using the non-card-index data table (see appendix table 2.4). It also required examination of WACs of varying levels of activity. This was judged by the number of successful grant applications recorded in the Constituency economic activities table (see appendix table 2.3). An analysis of this data provided the following conclusions.

Regions and Constituency Classifications

The ‘non-card-index data’ table in the card-index database (see appendix table 2.4 for sample) shows that the three regions (as defined in that table) contained broadly similar numbers of constituencies, and much more similar numbers of constituencies with WACs:

1. 1. North: 146 (108 with WACs; 107 excluding 1 unclassified constituency)

2. 2. Midlands/Wales: 186 (120 with WACs; 113 excluding 7 unclassified constituencies)

3. 3. London/South: 196 (116 with WACs)

Each region was, therefore, broken down to ten case studies each. The percentages of classification of constituencies with WACs were then taken into account in each region (ignoring unclassified constituencies). Smallest classifications potentially had to be ignored altogether in one region (for example, urban, mainly middle-class constituencies in the North). Percentages in parentheses are the percentage of each constituency with a WAC classification in a region, excluding unclassified constituencies.

North

Urban working class: 3 (30.84%)

Urban mixed: 3 (25.23%)

Mining: 2 (19.63%)

Urban/rural: 1 (14.95%)

Rural: 1 (6.5%)

Urban middle class: 0 (2.8%) – since so small a percentage.

Midlands/Wales

Rural: 3 (33.63%)

Urban mixed: 2 (18.58%)

Urban/rural: 2 (15.93%)

Mining: 1 (15.04%)

Urban working class: 1 (9.73%)

Urban middle class: 1 (7.08%)

London/South

Urban working class: 2 (21.55%)

Urban/Rural: 2 (20.69%)

Rural: 2 (19.83%)

Urban mixed: 2 (19.83%)

Urban middle class: 2 (18.10%)

Mining: 0 (0%)

Totals (percentage of constituencies with WACs, excluding unclassified)

Urban mixed: 7 (21.13%)

Urban working class: 6 (20.54%)

Rural: 6 (20.24%)

Urban/rural: 5 (17.26%)

Mining: 3 (11.31%)

Urban middle class: 3 (9.52%)

Total: 30 (100%)

These are, therefore, reasonable allocations of classification in each region. Rural constituencies are technically over-represented in the North but balanced by being under-represented in the Midlands.