COMMUNITY STATISTICAL PROGRAMME 2008-12
(15536/06)
Letter from the Chairman to John Healey
MP, Financial Secretary, HM Treasury
This proposal was considered by Sub-Committee
E at its meeting of 10 January 2007.
We note that the Programme itself (Annex II,
section 3.7) and the European Statistics Code of Practice (Principles
3, 9 & 11) appear to make some provision for the setting of
priorities and the reduction of burdens on statistical authorities
and business. However, we agree that a requirement for a cost-benefit
analysis in certain circumstances would be a useful addition to
ensure action at a practical level to address concerns of overburdening.
We are pleased to see that the programme provides
guidance on cooperating with other bodies which may be involved
in the collection of statistics. Effective cooperation is likely
to play a role in reducing burdens and we encourage the Government
to maximise possibilities for sharing data and coordinating data
collection in future specific legislative proposals.
The proposed legal base for the programme—Article
285 TEC—provides for the production of statistics where
necessary for the activities of the Community. The programme includes
objectives and actions in the field of crime and criminal justice,
which falls under the EU, and not the EC, Treaty. Do the Government
accept that Article 285 enables the collection of statistics relating
to the Third Pillar?
We have decided to retain the proposal under
scrutiny.
11 January 2007
Letter from John Healey MP to the Chairman
I am writing to update you on the position of
the proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of
the Council on the Community Statistical Programme 2008-12, with
regard to the considerations of Sub-Committee E (Law and Institutions)
at its meeting of 10 January 2007.
Among your considerations you questioned the
legal base for the programme, in particular, whether it is the
view of the Government that Article 285 TEC enables the collection
of statistics relating to the 3rd Pillar.
Issues around crime statistics in the Community
Statistical Programme have been raised by UK officials with the
Commission. It is the view of the Commission that a reference
to the development of crime statistics is fully appropriate in
the Community Statistical Programme. It echoes invitations made
by the European Council. For example, the Hague Programme, adopted
in November 2004, explicitly mentions that "Eurostat should
be tasked with the direction of such [crime and victimisation]
data and its collection from the Member States".
The proposal for a Decision on the Community
Statistical Programme 2008-12 is still under discussion. Officials
from the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office are
currently in consultation regarding the issues raised and I will
update you on progress shortly.
The European Council Working Party on Statistics
is anticipated to next discuss the Community Statistical Programme
2008-12 at its meeting of 3 May.
29 March 2007
Letter from the Chairman to John Healey
MP
Thank you for your letter of 29 March which
was considered by Sub-Committee E at its meeting of 25 April 2007.
You do not say whether the Government consider
that Article 285 TEC is an appropriate legal base for the collection
of crime-related statistics. We look forward to hearing your views
once the consultation exercise has been concluded.
The proposal is retained under scrutiny.
26 April 2007
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