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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.
The head of the Government statistical service, like other civil servants, would have available the remedies set out in the memorandum entitled "The Duties and Responsibilities of Civil Servants", reported by the Prime Minister to the House on 2 December 1987, at columns 572-75. He also has right of direct access to the Prime Minister if he feels there is any problem on the integrity of statistics.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what account the Government take of needs other than their own in determining the work of the Government statistical service ;
(2) what specific consideration is given to the information needs of Parliament, business, academia, the media and the general public in determining the work of the Government statistical service.
Mr. Maples : Government Departments do, where necessary, consult relevant bodies about the collection and use of statistics. In addition some statistical information is collected for the European Community under the terms of certain Community measures.
The large body of data collected is, where practicable, made available outside Government on terms which cover the costs of dissemination.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to review the present arrangements in the Government statistical service for the co-ordination of methodology, definitions, scope, timing of publications, and computer hardware and software, between Departments ; and what sanctions are available to the Central Statistical Office to secure the development of a coherent statistical system.
Mr. Maples : I am satisfied that existing arrangements are adequate for ensuring that issues of common concern are resolved satisfactorily between Departments.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) in what form United Kingdom official statisticians will make primary returns available to the Statistical Office of the European Communities for further analysis, with appropriate safeguards for confidentiality of individual returns, after 1992 ;
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(2) whether primary statistical returns which will be made available to the statistical office of the European Communities after 1992 will be available in the same form to other United Kingdom Government Departments and to users outside Government for further analysis.Mr. Maples : Council regulation 1588/90 of 11 June 1990 on the transmission of data subject to statistical confidentiality to the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) came into force on 18 June 1990. The regulation is an enabling measure only. Further regulations will be necessary to specify any information which might be transmitted to Eurostat. It is, however, expected that it would rarely be necessary to transmit primary returns to Eurostat. There are no plans for changing the procedures within the United Kingdom.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he allows the Central Statistical Office to respond when public comment on published statistics is so selective as to distort the overall conclusions from the statistics.
Mr. Maples : When public commentary on its statistics involves statements that are factually incorrect, the CSO can and does draw attention to this publicly.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what statistical surveys have been made statutory since 15 February 1989 to improve the quality of data at less cost to business.
Mr. Maples : Since that date the following inquiries to business have been converted from voluntary to statutory status :
Monthly sales inquiries for the non-engineering sectors. Supplementary quarterly sales inquiries for Wales and Scotland. Quarterly inquiry into stockbuilding in the production industries. Quarterly inquiry into direct investment.
Quarterly inquiry into iron castings (in addition the frequency of this inquiry has been reduced to annual).
Plans for the conversion to statutory status are well advanced for the following additional inquiries :
Quarterly inquiry into wholesalers stockbuilding.
Quarterly inquiry into capital expenditure.
Responsibility for those inquiries was transferred to the Central Statistical Office from the Department of Trade and Industry on 31 July 1989. The conversion to statutory status for those inquiries, excepting the sales inquiries, is being made as part of the package of further improvements announced by the Chancellor on 17 May 1990 and is accompanied by increases in sample size to meet the required standards of reliability. However, the use of statutory inquiries enables results to those standards to be obtained at less cost and with a fairer distribution of response burdens among businesses than would otherwise have been necessary.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make the tables in the Government expenditure plans available in spreadsheet form on floppy discs, complete with the commands, functions and macros which specify the relations between the tables, and between the tables and the national accounts available on floppy discs from the Central Statistical Office.
Mr. Maples : We do not, at present, have any plans to make tables on public expenditure data available on floppy disc.
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Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the scope for improvements in the quality of Government statistics in the absence of the centralisation in a central statistical service of data definition, collection, processing, primary analysis and publication as recommended by the July 1990 report "Official Statistics : Counting with Confidence," of a working party of the Royal Statistical Society under the chairmanship of Professor Peter G. Moore ; and what scope he had identified for improvements in statistics and policy units in major Departments and in the reconciliation and mutual checking of information from statistical returns, administrative sources, tax data and company accounts.
Mr. Maples : The Government statistical service seeks continuously to make improvements in the quality of Government statistics where these represent value for money. The centralisation of data definitions, collection processing, primary analysis and publication is not a necessary condition for achieving all these improvements. Where such centralised co- ordination can contribute to making improvements it is carried out by the Central Statistical Office through a system of interdepartmental committees. The reconciliation and checking of information from statistical returns, administrative sources, tax data and company accounts is subject to constraints on the availability of such data, but where necessary and feasible such work is carried out. The organisation of statistical work in other Departments is a matter for the relevant Minister.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what study he is making of the opportunity offered by the requirement to make primary returns available to the statistical office of the European Communities to improve the coherence and accuracy of United Kingdom statistics and the use made of modern information technology.
Mr. Maples : None. It is not expected that many primary returns will be made to the Statistical Office of the European Communities.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements exist for the systematic evaluation of Government statistics and for research upon statistical methodology by which they can be improved.
Mr. Maples : The evaluation of statistics is a normal part of the function of those responsible for their production and methodological research is also carried out in the relevant parts of the Government statistical service. Since the reorganisation of the Central Statistical Office, a unit concerned with the overall quality of the national accounts has carried out evaluation work in selected areas. In addition, two statistical techniques units in the Central Statistical Office, one in London and one in Newport, are responsible for the application of existing statistical methodology to improve the quality of statistics ; these units also undertake research to develop new techniques or extend the scope of existing ones.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision has been made in 1990-91 for expenditure specifically on the evaluation of statistics and research into statistical methodology by the Central Statistical Office.
Mr. Maples : Seven posts are devoted full time to the evaluation of statistics and research into statistical
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methodology. In addition, the statisticians concerned with the regular production of statistics will be involved in the evaluation of their output. About £65,000 of the budget for external research has been earmarked for work in evaluation and research in methodology.Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many visiting and exchange appointments were made by the Central Statistical Office in 1989-90 to other statistical organisations outside Government and abroad, respectively.
Mr. Maples : In 1989-90 the Central Statistical Office seconded two members of staff to the Statistical Office of the European Communities. In addition there are regular working contacts with statistical organisations outside Government in the United Kingdom and with other national and international statistical organisations.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what control the Central Statistical Office has over the timing of the publication of Government statistics.
Mr. Maples : The Central Statistical Office publishes its statistics as soon as possible after they are compiled. Information about the date and time of release of its major statistical outputs is generally announced one month in advance by means of a regular press notice. Exceptionally, notification of the release of the monthly overseas trade statistics is provided six months in advance and for the retail prices and tax and price indices, notification is given annually in advance.
The CSO has no responsibility for the publication of statistics produced by other Departments. The release dates of some of the major series are covered by the special press notice referred to. I understand that, as a general rule, departmental practice is to publish statistics as soon as possible after their compilation.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the practices controlling guidance given to outsiders by Ministers and officials based on estimates and access to final figures of statistics before their publication.
Mr. Maples : Most economic statistics are published to prearranged timetables, with minimum delay once they are finalised. Circulation to Ministers and officials before publication is strictly limited on a "need to know" basis. Ministers are fully aware of their responsibility to observe strict propriety in their use of any information obtained in their ministerial capacity. Officials are similarly aware of their responsibility and are subject to departmental discipline in the event of any inappropriate use of information obtained in their official capacity.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what embargos and controls by the Government statistical service exist on access to figures before Government statistical results are publicly available.
Mr. Maples : The Central Statistical Office restricts advance notification of the figures it compiles to those with an operational need to know them. Similar rules apply throughout Government but their precise application is obviously a matter for individual Departments.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) the Government statistical service or (b) any independent outside advisory body advises Ministers about which statistics should be collected or discontinued ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Maples : The Government statistical service is decentralised and it is therefore for Ministers with departmental statistical directorates to comment on the advice about statistics which they receive.
The Chancellor receives advice on the collection of statistics from the director of the Central Statistical Office, from Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise directors of statistics and from Treasury officials. At the request of Ministers the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee has from time to time considered specific issues and made recommendations. The Census of Production Advisory Committee also advises on census of production matters from time to time. In addition the Chancellor receives representations on the collection or discontinuation of statistics from many organisations.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been made in the size of the purchases inquiry for input-output tables since 15 February 1989 ; and what changes in the accuracy of the tables will result.
Mr. Maples : Since 15 February 1989, two major changes have been made to the size of the purchases inquiry being conducted for the year 1989 in order to reduce the burden on business.
The number of forms sent out to industry has been reduced from the proposed 10,600 to 9,300. This has reduced expected overall coverage in terms of employment from 78 per cent. to 72 per cent.
The average number of questions asked on the forms has been reduced from 32 to 17.
The needs of the input-output tables were a major consideration in deciding how to minimise the effect of the reductions on the results. There will be a small reduction in accuracy in that part of the tables showing the industrial structure of production industries, due to the reduced coverage and number of questions asked. This reduction in accuracy will not significantly affect the use of the tables in Government, both as an aid in industry economic analysis and as a framework within which to evaluate estimates for components of the national accounts.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of the recommendations of the Pickford review of Government economic statistics which the Government accepted in whole or in part were not implemented by the dates given in the note by the Central Statistical Office of 15 February 1989.
Mr. Maples : There were delays in implementation of recommendations 3, 14, 24, 27 and 30 beyond the target dates given in the action plan dated 15 February 1989. Implementation of recommendations 7 and 8 in July 1989, involving the introduction of new monthly sales inquiries to manufacturing industry, was in advance of the target date of January 1990. The reasons for any delay, which include the modification or extension of the original recommendations, are given in the implementation report on the Pickford scrutiny of Government economic statistics, which has been placed in the Library.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many statisticians are employed in the statistical techniques units in the Central Statistical Office and the Business Statistics Office in monitoring technical aspects of existing surveys and in planning new ones.
Mr. Maples : Two professional statisticians.
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Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Central Statistical Office data are issued on floppy disc with the printed publications, along the lines of the 1990 annual review of Government-funded research and development.Mr. Maples : The latest edition of input-output tables for the United Kingdom included a floppy disc with the printed publication. In addition, the Central Statistical Office's databank service offers a range of regularly updated macro-economic and related statistical data on floppy disc. This includes the contents of "Economic Trends", "Monthly Digest of Statistics", "Financial Statistics", and the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" as well as the annual Pink Book and Blue Book publications and a number of other datasets prepared for release alongside the main macro-economic press notices.
Dr. Bray : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Business Statistics Office proposes to integrate its registers with those of the Department of Employment.
Mr. Maples : Treasury and Department of Employment Ministers have agreed to a feasibility study of a proposal to integrate the Central Statistical Office and Department of Employment's registers of businesses. The study is due to report during 1991 on the costs and benefits of implementing the proposal.
Small Businesses
Mr. Fearn : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to simplify corporation tax return and PAYE payment procedures for small businesses.
Mr. Maude : The Government are introducing new arrangements for making returns and payments of corporation tax. These new procedures, which are known as pay and file, will come into effect in 1993 on present plans. They are designed to simplify and streamline the corporation tax system for all companies, including small incorporated businesses.
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There has been a recent efficiency scrutiny on PAYE payment dates and the scrutineer made a number of detailed recommendations for improvements to administrative procedures and working arrangements which are being considered.Loan Interest (Tax Relief)
Mr. Tim Smith : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of tax relief on interest payments on bridging loans for the purchase of residential property in (a) 1989 and (b) the first half of 1990 ; and how many taxpayers benefited in each period.
Mr. Maude : I regret that information is not available centrally to answer this question.
Budget Council
Mr. Hanley : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the European Community's Budget Council in July.
Mr. Maude : The Budget Council met in Brussels on 27 July. The Paymaster General represented the United Kingdom. The Council established a first reading draft budget for 1991 totalling 54.7 becu (£38.1 billion) in commitment appropriations and 52.4 becu (£36.5 billion) in payment appropriations, respectively 830 mecu (£578 million) and 586 mecu (£408 million) below the figures proposed by the Commission in the preliminary draft budget (PDB).
The 1991 budget is the third to be subject to the arrangements for budgetary discipline arising from the 1988 European Council and the inter- institutional agreement between the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament which incorporates expenditure ceilings for 1988-92. The table shows that the first reading draft budget is some way within those ceilings :
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Financial perspective Draft budget
|mecu |<2>£ million|mecu |<2>£ million
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commitment appropriations
1. FEOGA guarantee |33,000 |22,997 |30,104 |20,976
2. Structural funds |14,054 |9,794 |13,897 |9,684
3. R and D and integrated Mediterranean
programmes |2,516 |1,753 |2,129 |1,484
4. Other policies |4,255 |2,965 |3,853 |2,685
5. Reimbursements and administration |4,559 |3,177 |3,699 |2,578
6. Monetary reserve |1,000 |697 |1,000 |697
|------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |59,384 |41,383 |54,682 |38,106
Total payment<1> appropriations |56,950 |39,686 |52,423 |36,532
<1> There is only a global ceiling for payments.
<2> The ERM central rate of £1=1.435 ecu is used throughout this reply.
Provision for agricultural guarantee expenditure is about 2,896 mecu (£2,018 million) below the financial perspective. The draft budget also includes provisions of 810 mecu (£564 million) for the cost of depreciating existing agricultural stocks, and of 1,000 mecu (£697 million) for a monetary reserve which can be drawn up only to cover part of any additional agricultural expenditure arising from a change in the $-ecu exchange rate.
Non-obligatory expenditure (DNO) in the draft budget totals 20.9 becu (£14.6 billion) in commitments and 18.6 becu (£13.0 billion) in payments. In accordance with the
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conclusions of the 1988 February European Council, the Budget Council distinguished without these totals between so- called "privileged" and "non-privileged" expenditure. The draft budget established by the Budget Council marginally reduced privileged expenditure. As regards non-privileged DNO, the Council agreed that the maximum rate doctrine would not be applied this year. However, the draft budget in effect reduced non-privileged expenditure as against the PDB by more than in previous years ; and the Council endorsed a robust declaration making clear that non-application of the maximum rate in relation to this year's budget was an inevitable consequence of developments in eastern Europe, and implied no weakening of budgetary discipline.The budgetary implications of German unification were not reflected in the PDB and the Budget Council did not attempt to make provision for this in its draft budget. The Commission has now put forward a proposal to revise the financial perspective as a result of German unification. An amending letter to the PDB or a supplementary budget will be required to take account of the consequences of agreement on this proposal for the 1991 budget.
The European Parliament considered the draft budget at its October plenary. The Parliament's amendments and modifications will be considered by the Budget Council on 15 November.
Luncheon Vouchers
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount the yield from the taxation of luncheon vouchers, over the minimum allowed tax free, exceeds the cost of collection ; what is the amount of yield and the costs of collection in the last full year for which figures are available ; and if he has any plans for ending this form of taxation.
Mr. Major [holding answer 25 October 1990] : The estimated yield from the taxation of meal vouchers is about £5 million at an estimated Revenue staff cost of £60,000. There are no plans to end this form of taxation.
Oil Production
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total tax on North sea oil production, including royalties, paid by oil companies, monthly, from August 1989 to September 1990.
Mr. Maples [holding answer 26 October 1990] : The information is as follows :
|Tax
|£ million
-----------------------------------
August 1989 |318
September 1989 |205
October 1989 |357
November 1989 |68
December 1989 |252
January 1990 |193
February 1990 |85
March 1990 |679
April 1990 |89
May 1990 |87
June 1990 |-15
July 1990 |88
August 1990 |106
September 1990 |489
The figures include royalties, petroleum revenue tax and North sea corporation tax before ACT set-off.
Tax Havens
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to end the tax havens provided by offshore islands and other places ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maude [holding answer 29 October 1990] : No ; the United Kingdom has no power to dictate the tax regimes of other jurisdictions.
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Retail Prices Index
Mr. Ward : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to change the method of calculating the retail prices index so that the figure given is more closely in line with those of other members of the EEC.
Mr. Moate : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to standardise the method of calculating the retail prices index to conform with other European countries ; and if this has been proposed to other member states of the European Economic Community or European Free Trade Association.
Mr. Maples [holding answer 26 October 1990] : My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to change the method of calculating the retail prices index in the interest of international comparability. A variety of methods is used by other European countries in constructing their consumer price indices, and although a recent consultant's report has identified possible scope for harmonisation, each country has kept its own index.
DEFENCE
Regiment Names
6. Mr. Speller : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will complete his review of the regiments of the line together with any changes in name or area affiliation ; and if he will ensure that the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment is retained as one of them.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Work on the future force structure of the British Army is continuing. No decisions have yet been taken and I am not yet in a position to comment on the future of individual units.
Defence Equipment Sales
14. Mr. Salmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has or will set up a register of all sales of arms and defence equipment by private firms to foreign Governments.
The Gulf
15. Mr. Buckley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the pay and conditions of United Kingdom service men and women in the Gulf.
22. Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the pay and conditions of United Kingdom service men and women in the Gulf.
71. Mr. Loyden : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the pay and conditions of United Kingdom service men and women in the Gulf.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has already announced measures which will ensure that no service men or women will suffer a net reduction in pay and allowances as a result of service in the Gulf. Many of our service
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personnel in the Gulf are living in difficult conditions, but I am satisfied that the services are doing their very best to ensure that the general welfare and morale of our troops is maintained.26. Dr. Goodson-Wickes : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had concerning the reaction of NATO countries to the Gulf crisis.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : My right hon. Friend has had a number of discussions with NATO colleagues about the response of NATO countries to the Gulf crisis.
28. Mr. Evennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met his counterparts within the EC to discuss the Gulf crisis.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : There is no forum within the EC in which Defence Ministers meet. However, my right hon. Friend has met a number of his western European counterparts in the recent past and the situation in the Gulf has been among the subjects discussed.
32. Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are now stationed in the Persian Gulf as part of the multinational defence presence in the region.
86. Mr. Douglas : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current level of United Kingdom forces engaged in operations in the Gulf area.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The United Kingdom has committed a total of some 16,000 service personnel to the multinational effort in the Gulf, of whom some 12,000 are already in the region.
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