IV. CONCLUSION
19. In our 1998 Report, we said that there was a
strong case for the development of National Statistics to be enshrined
in legislation.[55]
The Royal Statistical Society echoed this conclusion, telling
us during this inquiry that "legislation is necessary to
underpin the principles and practice of National Statistics".[56]
The oral evidence we heard in November 2000 has confirmed our
initial opinion that legislation is necessary, particularly because
we detected a lack of clarity in some aspects of the Framework
document.[57]
Legislation would establish more clearly the specific responsibilities
of Ministers, the National Statistician, the Statistics Commission
and others in relation to National Statistics, and guard against
political interference and backsliding in future. The Statistics
Commission has been asked to review the case for legislation in
two years.[58]
The National Statistician told us that he would prefer to operate
under statutory arrangements, which he described as a "very
effective working environment".[59]
It is absolutely essential that the new arrangements for National
Statistics should be enshrined in a Statistics Act. If the Statistics
Commission concurs with our opinion in two years' time, we expect
Ministers to bring forward legislation as a matter of priority.
55 ONS Report, paragraph 51 Back
56
App 3, section 7 Back
57
See paragraph 7 re. the roles of the Statistics Commission and
the National Statistician with respect to the scope of National
Statistics Back
58
Framework, paragraph 4.2.5(i) Back
59
Q236 Back
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