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Column 476

1988

Borders Health Board

Galashiels Hospital

Selkirk Hospital

Peel Hospital

Lothian Health Board

Elsie Inglis Maternity Hospital

1989

Lothian Health Board

Bruntsfield Hospital

Beechmount Hospital

Ayrshire and Arran Health Board

Kilmarnock Maternity Hospital

Highland Health Board

Cambusavie Hospital

Culduthel Hospital

1990

Lothian Health Board

Drumshoreland Hospital

Grampian Health Board

Fonthill Maternity Hospital

Scottish Office Spending

Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list Scottish Office spending by function in 1978-79 and 1989-90 in (a) real terms and (b) the percentage change as a proportion of Scottish Office spending.

Mr. Rifkind : Because of the changes to the definition of the public expenditure planning total from 1 April 1990, detailed comparison with years before 1984-85 cannot easily be made. The table shows the figures for 1978-79 adjusted to the new planning total basis on readily available information. They must be treated as approximate figures only.


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                                          1978-79                                   1989-90                                   Real terms                 

                                                                                                                             |percentage                 

                                         |Cash         |Real terms<1>|Percentage   |Cash         |Real terms<1>|Percentage   |change                     

                                         |(£ million)  |(£ million)  |of total     |(£ million)                |of total     |1978-79 to                 

                                                                                                                             |1989-90                    

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Central Government Expenditure<2>                                                                                                                        

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food          |74           |163          |2.2          |204          |192          |2.6          |17.8                       

  Industry, Energy, Trade and Employment |77           |169          |2.3          |264          |248          |3.4          |46.8                       

  Tourism                                |4            |9            |0.1          |11           |10           |0.1          |17.5                       

  Transport                              |56           |123          |1.6          |177          |166          |2.3          |35.0                       

  Housing                                |271          |596          |8.0          |269          |253          |3.4          |-57.6                      

  Other Environmental Services           |21           |46           |0.6          |105          |99           |1.3          |113.6                      

  Law, Order and Protective Services     |42           |92           |1.2          |248          |233          |3.2          |152.3                      

  Education                              |122          |268          |3.6          |309          |290          |4.0          |8.2                        

  Arts and Libraries                     |4            |9            |0.1          |25           |24           |0.3          |167.0                      

  Health and Social Work                 |876          |1,925        |25.7         |2,724        |2,558        |34.9         |32.8                       

  Other Public Services                  |54           |119          |1.6          |126          |118          |1.6          |-0.3                       

                                                                                                                                                         

Grants to local authorities              |1,222        |2,685        |35.9         |2,629        |2,469        |33.7         |-8.1                       

Net Capital Allocations                  |533          |1,172        |15.7         |784          |736          |10.0         |-37.2                      

                                                                                                                                                         

Nationalised Industries Financing Limits |50           |110          |1.5          |-68          |-64          |-0.9         |-158.1                     

                                         |-------      |-------      |-------      |-------      |-------      |-------      |-------                    

Total                                    |3,406        |7,485        |100.0        |7,807        |7,331        |100.0        |-2.1                       

<1> 1988-89 prices.                                                                                                                                      

<2> Including public corporations other than nationalised industries.                                                                                    

Notes: (1) Non domestic rates omitted from 1989-90.                                                                                                      

(2) Does not take account of some organisational changes between 1978-79 and 1989-90.                                                                    

(3) Grants to local authorities for 1978-79 are taken from Appropriation Accounts.                                                                       

Crime Statistics, Strathclyde

Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the recorded levels of crime by (a) the seven standard categories and (b) the total number of crimes in each year since 1979 in (i) division K of Strathclyde region


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police authority and (ii) the average for Strathclyde region police authority ; and if he will give the total change in both areas 1979 to 1989 in percentage terms.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is given in the following table.


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Strathclyde Region Police Authority                                                                                                                                             

                                 |1979      |1980      |1981      |1982      |1983      |1984      |1985      |1986      |1987      |1988      |1989      |Percentage           

                                                                                                                                                          |change               

                                                                                                                                                          |1979-89              

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total crimes and offences        |351,269   |374,904   |384,143   |393,682   |407,659   |417,077   |403,637   |412,971   |435,444   |431,863   |465,187   |32                   

Total crimes                     |195,485   |198,826   |223,685   |240,349   |243,160   |259,502   |250,062   |246,610   |257,722   |259,666   |275,134   |41                   

Group 1 Non-sexual crimes of                                                                                                                                                    

   violence                      |7,008     |6,715     |7,535     |7,446     |7,895     |8,472     |9,062     |8,852     |10,630    |10,237    |10,519    |50                   

Group 2 Crimes of indecency      |2,619     |3,027     |2,916     |2,925     |3,099     |3,233     |3,013     |2,648     |2,627     |2,425     |2,601     |-1                   

Group 3 Crimes of dishonesty     |151,073   |152,937   |175,998   |188,435   |187,349   |197,784   |187,950   |185,150   |195,625   |197,105   |207,053   |37                   

Group 4 Fire-raising, vandalism,                                                                                                                                                

   etc.                          |31,261    |31,787    |32,158    |34,757    |37,307    |41,685    |40,958    |40,832    |38,845    |37,773    |40,012    |28                   

Group 5 Other crimes             |3,524     |4,360     |5,078     |6,786     |7,510     |8,328     |9,079     |9,128     |9,995     |12,126    |14,949    |324                  

Total offences                   |155,784   |176,078   |160,458   |153,333   |164,499   |157,575   |153,575   |166,361   |177,722   |172,197   |190,053   |22                   

Group 6 Miscellaneous offences   |68,908    |69,069    |66,592    |64,798    |63,880    |63,662    |65,013    |66,414    |69,297    |64,460    |65,453    |-5                   

Group 7 Motor vehicle offences   |86,876    |107,009   |93,866    |88,535    |100,619   |93,913    |88,562    |99,947    |108,425   |107,737   |124,600   |43                   

Notes:                                                                                                                                                                          

Data for 1979 have been regrouped on the basis of the current Scottish Home and Health Department classification of crimes and offences which was last revised in 1980.         

Prior to 1980, the return included crimes and offences reported to the Procurator Fiscal by agencies other than the police in which a prosecution was taken. Since 1980, these  

cases have been excluded. In 1982, there were about 6,400 such cases in the whole of Scotland, of a total of 762,483 crimes and offences.                                       

Most of the increase in crimes in group 5 is in recorded cases of re-offending while on bail which may in part be explained by changes in recording practice.                   


Strathclyde Region Police Authority                                                                                                                                             

                                 |1979      |1980      |1981      |1982      |1983      |1984      |1985      |1986      |1987      |1988      |1989      |Percentage           

                                                                                                                                                          |change               

                                                                                                                                                          |1979-89              

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total crimes and offences        |351,269   |374,904   |384,143   |393,682   |407,659   |417,077   |403,637   |412,971   |435,444   |431,863   |465,187   |32                   

Total crimes                     |195,485   |198,826   |223,685   |240,349   |243,160   |259,502   |250,062   |246,610   |257,722   |259,666   |275,134   |41                   

Group 1 Non-sexual crimes of                                                                                                                                                    

   violence                      |7,008     |6,715     |7,535     |7,446     |7,895     |8,472     |9,062     |8,852     |10,630    |10,237    |10,519    |50                   

Group 2 Crimes of indecency      |2,619     |3,027     |2,916     |2,925     |3,099     |3,233     |3,013     |2,648     |2,627     |2,425     |2,601     |-1                   

Group 3 Crimes of dishonesty     |151,073   |152,937   |175,998   |188,435   |187,349   |197,784   |187,950   |185,150   |195,625   |197,105   |207,053   |37                   

Group 4 Fire-raising, vandalism,                                                                                                                                                

   etc.                          |31,261    |31,787    |32,158    |34,757    |37,307    |41,685    |40,958    |40,832    |38,845    |37,773    |40,012    |28                   

Group 5 Other crimes             |3,524     |4,360     |5,078     |6,786     |7,510     |8,328     |9,079     |9,128     |9,995     |12,126    |14,949    |324                  

Total offences                   |155,784   |176,078   |160,458   |153,333   |164,499   |157,575   |153,575   |166,361   |177,722   |172,197   |190,053   |22                   

Group 6 Miscellaneous offences   |68,908    |69,069    |66,592    |64,798    |63,880    |63,662    |65,013    |66,414    |69,297    |64,460    |65,453    |-5                   

Group 7 Motor vehicle offences   |86,876    |107,009   |93,866    |88,535    |100,619   |93,913    |88,562    |99,947    |108,425   |107,737   |124,600   |43                   

Notes:                                                                                                                                                                          

Data for 1979 have been regrouped on the basis of the current Scottish Home and Health Department classification of crimes and offences which was last revised in 1980.         

Prior to 1980, the return included crimes and offences reported to the Procurator Fiscal by agencies other than the police in which a prosecution was taken. Since 1980, these  

cases have been excluded. In 1982, there were about 6,400 such cases in the whole of Scotland, of a total of 762,483 crimes and offences.                                       

Most of the increase in crimes in group 5 is in recorded cases of re-offending while on bail which may in part be explained by changes in recording practice.                   

Air Pollution, Renfrew

Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce his decision on the application lodged in July 1990 for a certificate of registration for Cleveland Fuels Ltd. of Clyde street, Renfrew under the Control of Industrial Air Pollution Regulations for incineration of waste residues at Renfrew.

Mr. Rifkind : Technical aspects of the proposals received for Cleveland Fuels Ltd. are being considered by Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate. I will announce my decision as soon as possible.

Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy, when considering the current application by Cleveland Fuels Ltd. for a certificate of registration in terms of the Control of Industrial Air Pollution (Registration of Works) Regulations 1989 and the statutory notice required, to give consideration to (a) the date of receipt by Renfrew district council of a copy of the application in relation to the date when the notice of application was first published in the Glasgow Herald and (b) the timing of the application to coincide with local holidays.

Mr. Rifkind : The procedure for advertising applications made under the terms of the Control of Industrial Air


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Pollution (Registration of Works) Regulations 1989 is laid down in the regulations. Because of the delay which occurred in making a copy of the application by Cleveland Fuels Ltd. available for inspection locally, I agreed to consider all representations that were received, including those after the statutory deadline.

St. Rollox Site

Mr. Michael J. Martin : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to inform the House as to his decision regarding the St. Rollox site planning application ; and if he will make a statement.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : My right hon. and learned Friend has decided to dismiss Glasgow district council's appeal against Strathclyde regional council's direction calling in for its determination the applications made by Miller Developments Ltd. and the British Rail Property Board. Letters announcing this decision were dispatched to the councils on 26 October.


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Voluntary Training Centres

Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many youth training centres will close as a result of the level of funding for voluntary training centres in 1990-91 in (a) Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland.

Mr. Lang : The future of training centres is entirely the responsibility of those organisations, including voluntary organisations, who run them. The Government do not fund youth training centres ; they guarantee to provide a youth training place for every eligible young person in Scotland who wishes one and pay managing agents for filled training places.

European Single Market

Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action has been taken by his office in order to help or advise Scottish industries and the financial sector to prepare for 1992 in terms of (a) competitiveness and (b) adequate access to continental markets of their goods and services.

Mr. Lang [holding answer 26 October 1990] : In addition to the Government's "Europe Open for Business" campaign, which is delivered in Scotland by the Industry Department for Scotland, an extensive range of assistance is available under the enterprise initiative to help Scottish firms prepare for the single market. In particular, the consultancy initiatives assist companies to improve their competitiveness by developing skills in six key areas of management practice, and substantial help is available to assist firms to break into export markets or develop their existing overseas business. In addition, I chair the single market committee of the Scottish Economic Council, which has published a number of reports designed to assist the Scottish business community, including a paper on the implications of the single market for the Scottish financial services sector.

Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what public body has the specific task of helping Scottish financial sector development such as the ones created in Dublin and Amsterdam in preparation for 1992.

Mr. Lang [holding answer 26 October 1990] : The Government's policies are directed towards creating an environment in which the Scottish financial sector can prepare with confidence for the challenge of 1992. I share the financial community's own view that the development of its activities within that framework is not a matter for public sector direction but for the community itself.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Community Care Grant

Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by social security office the percentage refusal rate to community care grant claimants for the last 12 months ; and what was the refusal rate for the previous 12 months.

Mr. Scott : The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.


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Income Support

Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to amend present benefit regulations to enable 19- year-olds in full-time relevant education to claim income support.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The Government's position is that young people remaining at school after their 19th birthday to complete their studies, and their families, should turn for any necessary additional financial assistance to the sources of funding available through educational agencies. We are aware of the problems affecting a small number of people in these circumstances.

Refuges

Mr. Squire : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what sums of money are being paid in hostel transitional protection payments by the central unit within his Department ; how many hostels are in receipt of these payments ; what arrangements he has agreed for dealing with these payments from 1 April 1991 ; and which organisations have been consulted.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) on 15 October. A total of 1,519 hostels are receiving payments of varying amounts from the Department's central unit. Details have been given to the other Departments involved. In addition, officials in the Department recently had discussions with the chairman of the special needs housing forum.

Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how his Department's central unit will ensure that those refuges entitled to receive hostel transitional protection will receive it ; (2) how the hostel transitional protection compensatory payment is to be implemented when it becomes permanent funding from April 1991.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The temporary payments made by the Department's central unit will cease from April 1991, when the money will be transferred to other Departments, as explained in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) on 15 October. Inquiries about the detailed arrangements for distributing the money to hostels would be best directed to those Departments.

Mr. Squire : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on consultations with the hostels sector on transitional protection payments for hostels from April 1991.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The temporary payments made by the Department's central unit will cease from April 1991, when the money will be transferred to other Departments, as explained in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) on 15 October. Accordingly, the question of further consultation about such payments does not arise. On the arrangements for funding from other sources, departmental officials recently met the chairman of the special needs housing forum.

Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what his Department's central unit is doing to expedite the payment of housing benefit to women and children in refuges and to rectify the situation in those cases where underpayments have occurred ;


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(2) how many complaints regarding problems with the housing payment to women in refuges have been received by his Department's central unit office in London.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard : A central unit was set up in the Department's headquarters in London to make payments to hostels to compensate them for any shortfall in income as a result of the changes in income support and housing benefit for people living in hostels in October 1989. There have been no complaints about the arrangements for payments by the central unit to hostels. Although the Department oversees the scope and structure of the housing benefit scheme, it is local authorities that have full responsibility for its day-to-day administration.

Hostages (Dependants)

Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the benefit entitlement of people whose spouses are held in the Gulf and whose income has ceased.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Income support can be paid to those spouses resident in Great Britain who satisfy the normal conditions of entitlement, and who will in consequence be awarded maximum housing benefit and/or community charge benefit. Local authorities can award housing benefit, for help with eligible rents, and community charge benefit to help with their liability for any personal or collective community charge liability. The assessment of these benefits will not take into account any income or assets held in the Gulf that cannot be transferred to the United Kingdom.

Special payments are available to people in Great Britain who cannot get income support because their partners are working in the Gulf but are unable to send money home due to hostilities, if there is financial hardship.

Disability

Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, by Department of Social Security office in the Northern region, the number of disablement benefit gratuities paid under regulation 13 of the Social Security (Industrial Injuries and Diseases) Miscellaneous Provisions 1986.

Mr. Scott : This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Vibration White Finger

Mr. Clay : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of the September/October 1990 guidance note for adjudication officers in Department of Social Security offices dealing with claims arising under regulation 13 of the Social Security (1.1 and Diseases) Miscellaneous Provisions Regulations 1986 for backdating of claims in respect of the prescribed industrial disease vibration white finger.

Mr. Scott : Guidance for adjudication officers is a matter for the chief adjudication officer, although I understand that no such central guidance was issued in September-October 1990.


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Benefit Claimants

Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of claimants is (a) male and (b) female for the latest available year, broken down, if possible, by benefit.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 15 June 1990] : The following tables set out such information as is available, for the most recent available date.


                                      |Men      |Women              

                                      |per cent.|per cent.          

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Industrial Death Benefit              |Nil      |100                

Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit |89       |11                 

Invalidity Benefit                    |76       |24                 

Maternity Benefit                     |Nil      |100                

Retirement Pension                    |35       |65                 

Sickness Benefit                      |74       |26                 

Unemployment Benefit                  |68       |32                 

Widows Benefit                        |Nil      |100                

Reduced Earnings Allowance            |83       |17                 

Attendance Allowance                  |37       |63                 

Child Benefit                         |2        |98                 

One Parent Benefit                    |9        |91                 

Invalid Care Allowance                |18       |82                 

Mobility Allowance                    |52       |48                 

Severe Disability Benefit             |40       |60                 

Family Credit                         |1        |99                 

Income Support                        |43       |57                 

Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of claimants, national insurance and non-contributory, have been in receipt of benefit for over a year.

Mrs. Gillian Shepherd [holding answer 25 June 1990] : The table sets out such information as is available, for the most recent available date.


Percentage in receipt of benefit over a year                 

                                         |Per cent.          

-------------------------------------------------------------

National insurance contributory benefits                     

Invalidity benefit                       |81                 

Unemployment benefit                     |3                  

                                                             

Non-contributory benefits                                    

Severe disablement benefit               |94                 

Family credit                            |35                 

Income support                           |73                 

Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the numbers and percentages of claimants in receipt of benefit for a couple, with or without other dependency additions, who are (a) men and (b) women broken down by (i) national insurance class A benefits, (ii) non- contributory benefits and (iii) all benefits, giving the most recent figures.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard [holding answer 9 July 1990] : The tables set out such information as is available, for the most recent available date.


                                         |Men    |Women          

                                         |Percent|Percent        

-----------------------------------------------------------------

National Insurance Contributory Benefits                         

Invalidity Benefit                       |99     |1              

Maternity Benefit                        |-      |100            

Sickness Benefit                         |100    |-              

Unemployment Benefit                     |63     |37             

                                                                 

Non Contributory Benefits                                        

Severe Disability Benefit                |89     |11             

Family Credit                            |-      |100            

Income Support                           |96     |4              

Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing, for each class a national insurance benefit and for each means-tested social security benefit, the numbers and proportions of claimants who are (a) women and (b) lone parents, giving the most recent figures.

Mrs Gillian Shephard [holding answer 9 July 1990] : The tables set out such information as is available, for the most recent available date.


Table B                                                               

Means-Tested Benefits                                                 

                    |Women    |per cent |Lone     |per cent           

                                        |Parents                      

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Family Credit       |319,000  |99       |125,000  |39                 

Income Support      |2,385,000|57       |771,000  |19                 

Housing Benefit                                                       

   i.Rent Rebate    |<1>-     |-        |448,000  |15                 

  ii.Rent Allowance |<1>      |-        |89,000   |9                  

 iii.Rate Rebate    |<1>      |-        |553,000  |13                 

<1> Not Available                                                     


Table B                                                               

Means-Tested Benefits                                                 

                    |Women    |per cent |Lone     |per cent           

                                        |Parents                      

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Family Credit       |319,000  |99       |125,000  |39                 

Income Support      |2,385,000|57       |771,000  |19                 

Housing Benefit                                                       

   i.Rent Rebate    |<1>-     |-        |448,000  |15                 

  ii.Rent Allowance |<1>      |-        |89,000   |9                  

 iii.Rate Rebate    |<1>      |-        |553,000  |13                 

<1> Not Available                                                     

NATIONAL FINANCE

Government Statistics

Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has of the reductions in the expected values of the balancing items in the personal sector, industrial and commercial companies, financial sector, general Government sector and overseas sector in the national accounts as a result of the improvements in Government statistics made since 15 February 1989 ; when he expects the reductions to be achieved ; and what further improvements he is seeking.

Mr. Maples : It is too soon to judge the long-term effects on sectorial balancing items of the changes in Government statistics proposed in February 1989 and subsequently. However, the initial estimates of sectorial balancing items for 1988 (published in "Financial Statistics" April 1989) have subsequently been reduced, particularly for the overseas sector (by £7.1 billion), the industrial and commercial companies' sector (by £11.4 billion) and the personal sector (by £16.0 billion) : see "Financial Statistics" for September 1990, a copy of which is in the Library. Reductions have also been made to the balancing items in earlier years, particularly for the overseas sector.


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Further reductions are anticipated as the effects of the programme of changes are implemented during the next year or so.

Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration has been given since 15 February 1989 by the Central Statistical Office to the development of the family expenditure survey as a comprehensive data source on all items of household income, expenditure and financial transactions.

Mr. Maples : Households are sensitive to questions regarding their incomes and financial transactions and it is therefore difficult to obtain such data from the family expenditure survey (FES). Priority is therefore being given to pursuing alternative sources of this information. Development of the family expenditure survey will be considered if no satisfactory alternatives are found.

Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what work has been undertaken since 15 February 1989 by the Central Statistical Office and the Inland Revenue on developing an independent basis for estimating the evasion adjustment for the hidden economy in the income estimate for gross domestic product ;

(2) whether the first annual review by the Central Statistical Office of the balance of statistical reporting among industries has been completed ; and what action has ensued ;

(3) what steps have been taken to incorporate quality changes more adequately into output price indices since 15 February 1989 ; (4) whether data on value added tax receipts are now used in constructing the output measure of the gross domestic product ; (5) what steps have been undertaken since 15 February 1989 to contract out the collection and processing of data by the Central Statistical Office ;

(6) what investigation has been made by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise since 15 February 1989 into possible under-recording of exports entered prior to shipment ; and what actions have been taken as a result ;

(7) what feasibility study has been made of the use of company accounting systems to provide information on income, expenditure and financial transactions ;

(8) whether the Inland Revenue is using tax records to produce better estimates of monetary sector profits excluding net interest receipts ;

(9) what new sources have been used since 15 February 1989 on personal sector financial transactions ;

(10) what firm agreements have been made with other Departments by the Central Statistical Office on the definition and quality of their contributions to the national accounts since 15 February 1989.

Mr. Maples : I refer the hon. Member to the implementation report on the Pickford scrutiny of Government economic statistics, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has of the reduction in the expected error in the gross domestic product, as measured by the gap between the income and expenditure measures, as a percentage of the gross domestic product, to be expected from the improvements in Government statistics made since 15 February 1989 ; when he expects the reduction to be achieved ; and what further improvements he is seeking.


Column 485

Mr. Maples : The gap between the income and expenditure measures of gross domestic product has been reduced by the introduction of (1) national accounts statistical adjustments, which have been made to the expenditure measure GDP(E) in the latest years to bring it more into line with the output GDP(O) and income GDP(I) measures ; and (2) alignment adjustments, which are applied to the quarterly estimates of both GDP(E) and GDP(I) so that their short-term growth better reflects that of the preferred GDP(O) measure for indicating short-term movements.

These adjustments are described more fully in the quarterly national accounts articles in "Economic Trends" and in the national accounts Blue Book.

An announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 17 May 1990 of a series of further measures to improve the quality of economic statistics included several aimed at increasing the reliability of the income and expenditure measures. These are collecting more information on companies' investment, stockbuilding and profits, using statutory inquiries where possible ; collecting more information on external trade in services ; and carrying out a survey into the procedures followed for the valuation of external trade in goods.

The main aim of these measures is to provide timely estimates of better quality. This should lead to a reduction in the national accounts statistical adjustments necessary to produce a coherent set of national accounts.

A comprehensive statement on the current state of official economic statistics, including plans for the future on how further improvements to the statistics can be achieved, was submitted in evidence to the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee on Wednesday 24 October 1990, and a copy of this memorandum lodged in the House of Commons Library.

Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to "Official Statistics : Counting with Confidence", the report of a working party of the Royal Statistical Society under the chairmanship of Professor Peter G. Moore, president of the society, a copy of which has been sent to him ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maples : The working party's report has been considered. The Government welcome its conclusions that there is no evidence of any failure of integrity by members of the Government statistical service. But the Government do not intend to change further the way in which successive Governments have organised official statistical services by centralising all statistical services. I have asked the director of the Central Statistical Office to consider with other Government Departments, and in consultation with the RSS working party, how the other concerns expressed in its report might be met.

Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what priority he accords to public confidence in the integrity of official statistics ; and what steps he is taking to increase it.

Mr. Maples : The Government accord high priority to maintaining public confidence in the integrity of official statistics. Where necessary, steps are taken to improve the quality of official statistics, as in the package of improvements announced by the Chancellor on 17 May in respect of economic statistics.


Column 486

Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what safeguards exist to protect the integrity of official statistics against political interference by Ministers ; and what steps he proposes to take to strengthen those safeguards.

Mr. Maples : Members of the Government statistical service follow the practices set out in the guidance note on "Integrity in the Government Statistical Service" issued by the then head of the GSS, Sir John Boreham and published in pages 68.19 and 68.20 of "Statistical News" in February 1985, a copy of which is available in the Library.

Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what public mechanism is available to the head of the Government statistical service in response to a ministerial decision which, in his view, might compromise the integrity of the service.


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