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Statistics and Registration Service Bill


Statistics and Registration Service Bill
Part 1 — The Statistics Board

1

 

A

Bill

[AS AMENDED IN PUBLIC BILL COMMITTEE]

To

establish and make provision about the Statistics Board; to make provision

about offices and office-holders under the Registration Service Act 1953; and

for connected purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and

consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present

Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Part 1

The Statistics Board

The Statistics Board

1       

Establishment

(1)   

There is to be a body corporate to be known as the Statistics Board (in this Part

5

called “the Board”).

(2)   

In Gaelic the Board is to be known as Am Bòrd an Staitistig.

(3)   

In Welsh the Board is to be known as Y Bwrdd Ystadegau.

2       

Status

(1)   

The Board is to exercise its functions on behalf of the Crown.

10

(2)   

Accordingly, the property, rights and liabilities of the Board are property,

rights and liabilities of the Crown.

 
Bill 5154/2
 
 

Statistics and Registration Service Bill
Part 1 — The Statistics Board

2

 

Members and staff

3       

Members

(1)   

The Board is to consist of executive and non-executive members.

(2)   

The non-executive members are to be—

(a)   

the chairman, appointed by Her Majesty, and

5

(b)   

at least five other persons appointed by the Treasury.

(3)   

Before appointing any person under subsection (2)(b) the Treasury must

consult the chairman.

(4)   

The persons appointed under subsection (2)(b) must include—

(a)   

one person who is appointed by the Treasury after consulting the

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Scottish Ministers,

(b)   

one person who is appointed by the Treasury after consulting the

Welsh Ministers, and

(c)   

one person who is appointed by the Treasury after consulting the

Department of Finance and Personnel for Northern Ireland.

15

(5)   

The Treasury may, after consulting the chairman, designate one of the non-

executive members appointed under subsection (2)(b) as deputy chairman.

(6)   

The executive members are to be—

(a)   

the National Statistician (see section 5), and

(b)   

two other employees of the Board, appointed by the non-executive

20

members.

(7)   

A person may not be both a non-executive member of the Board and an

employee of the Board.

4       

Non-executive members

(1)   

A non-executive member of the Board is to be appointed—

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(a)   

for at least one and no more than five years, and

(b)   

on such other terms and conditions as the person making the

appointment thinks fit.

(2)   

A non-executive member is to hold and vacate office in accordance with the

terms and conditions of his appointment, subject as follows.

30

(3)   

A non-executive member may resign at any time by notice in writing to the

Treasury.

(4)   

The person appointing a non-executive member may dismiss him by notice in

writing on the grounds that—

(a)   

the member has been absent from meetings of the Board without

35

permission of the Board for a period of more than three months,

(b)   

the member is the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order (or interim

order),

(c)   

the member has had his estate sequestrated in Scotland or, under Scots

law, has made a composition or arrangement with, or granted a trust

40

deed for, his creditors,

(d)   

the member has misbehaved,

 
 

Statistics and Registration Service Bill
Part 1 — The Statistics Board

3

 

(e)   

the member has failed to comply with the terms of his appointment, or

(f)   

the member is otherwise unable, unfit or unwilling to perform his

functions.

(5)   

Where—

(a)   

a non-executive member ceases to be a member otherwise than on the

5

expiry of his term of office, and

(b)   

it appears to the Treasury that there are circumstances which make it

right for him to receive compensation,

   

the Board may pay him compensation of an amount approved by the Treasury.

(6)   

A person who has ceased to be a non-executive member is eligible for re-

10

appointment (on any number of occasions).

5       

Executive members and other staff

(1)   

The Board is to have—

(a)   

an officer known as the National Statistician, and

(b)   

an officer known as the Head of Assessment.

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(2)   

The National Statistician is to be—

(a)   

appointed by Her Majesty, and

(b)   

employed by the Board on the terms and conditions of his appointment

(which may include provision relating to dismissal).

(3)   

The Head of Assessment is to be—

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(a)   

appointed by the non-executive members of the Board, and

(b)   

employed by the Board on the terms and conditions of his

appointment.

(4)   

The Board is to have such other employees as it may appoint.

(5)   

The persons appointed under subsection (4) are to be employed on the terms

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and conditions of their appointment.

(6)   

The Board may only appoint persons under subsection (4) with the approval of

the Minister for the Civil Service as to numbers and terms and conditions of

employment.

(7)   

Service as an employee of the Board is service in the civil service of the State.

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(8)   

The employees of the Board who are appointed members of the Board under

section 3(6)(b) are to hold office as members in accordance with the terms and

conditions of their appointment as members.

Official statistics: introductory

6       

Official statistics

35

(1)   

In this Part “official statistics” means—

(a)   

statistics produced by—

(i)   

the Board,

(ii)   

a government department,

(iii)   

the Scottish Administration,

40

(iv)   

a Welsh ministerial authority,

 
 

Statistics and Registration Service Bill
Part 1 — The Statistics Board

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(v)   

a Northern Ireland department, or

(vi)   

any other person acting on behalf of the Crown, and

(b)   

such other statistics as may be specified by order by—

(i)   

a Minister of the Crown,

(ii)   

the Scottish Ministers,

5

(iii)   

the Welsh Ministers, or

(iv)   

a Northern Ireland department.

(2)   

An order under subsection (1)(b) may in particular specify all, or a description

of, the statistics produced or to be produced by a particular person or

description of person.

10

(3)   

Before making an order under subsection (1)(b) an authority referred to in that

provision must consult the Board.

(4)   

The Board must, at least once every financial year, publish a list of statistics

which are at the time of publication official statistics by virtue of subsection

(1)(b).

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(5)   

In this Part “Welsh ministerial authority” means any of the following—

(a)   

the Welsh Ministers;

(b)   

the First Minister for Wales;

(c)   

the Counsel General to the Welsh Assembly Government.

7       

Objective

20

(1)   

In the exercise of its functions under sections 8 to 19 the Board is to have the

objective of promoting and safeguarding—

(a)   

the quality of official statistics,

(b)   

good practice in relation to official statistics, and

(c)   

the comprehensiveness of official statistics.

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(2)   

In this Part references to the quality of any official statistics includes—

(a)   

their impartiality, accuracy and relevance, and

(b)   

their coherence with other official statistics.

(3)   

In this Part references to good practice in relation to official statistics includes

ensuring their accessibility.

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General functions relating to official statistics

8       

Monitoring and reporting of official statistics

(1)   

The Board is to monitor the production and publication of official statistics.

(2)   

The Board may report any concerns it has about—

(a)   

the quality of any official statistics,

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(b)   

good practice in relation to any official statistics, or

(c)   

the comprehensiveness of any official statistics,

   

to the person responsible for those statistics.

(3)   

The Board may publish its findings or any report under this section.

 
 

 
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