ABOUT £2.5m of taxpayers' money is being spent on leaflets and adverts in an attempt to boost the turnout in October's regional assembly referendums, it was revealed yesterday.

The Conservatives immediately condemned the "total waste and misuse" of money that could have been spent on schools and hospitals.

But the Government insisted it was an appropriate use of public money to ensure the public was prepared for the votes, which are just six months' away.

The £2.5m is funding the Government's Your Say information campaign, launched by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott on a roadshow across the North.

About £1.7m will be spent in Yorkshire and the Humber and the remaining £800,000 in the North-East, where the population is far smaller.

A further £2.5m is being spent in the North-West, the third region to stage a referendum under the devolution programme.

According to a parliamentary answer, the largest sum across the three regions will go on the production and distribution of leaflets - £1.7m.

Next comes broadcast media (£1.1m), posters (£650,000), newspapers (£475,000) and events (£420,000). "Other" spending claims £635,000.

The expenditure is separate to the money that will be handed to the Yes and No campaigns when they get into full swing in the summer.

Bernard Jenkin, the Tory regions spokesman, said: "This is a total waste and misuse of taxpayers' money which could be spent on schools, hospitals, or the police.

"The Government is spending millions of pounds publicising assemblies that nobody wants. The truth is that £5m is just the beginning."

There is no cap on spending for the Your Say campaign, but a spokeswoman for Mr Prescott said the Government always "sought value for money".

She said: "The Government has a responsibility to inform people about its policies and it takes that role extremely seriously.

"It is important that when people come to vote in the referendums in the autumn they are well-informed about their choice."

The Government has said the Your Say campaign is purely factual, setting out the role and responsibilities of the assemblies, without advocating a vote in favour.

The £5m is dwarfed by the estimated £100m cost of the referendum on the proposed European constitution, announced by Tony Blair this week.