§ 52. Mr. LEONARDasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the Census Office, the Inland Revenue, the Home Office, the Ministry of Labour and the Board of Trade each compile and put into use their own classification of trades and businesses; and, if so, whether he will consider the advantages of co-ordinating such Government statistics with one code of definitions and classifications?
§ Mr. W. S. MORRISONThe desirability, in general, of the adoption of a uniform classification of occupations and industries in the statistics issued by different Government Departments is fully appreciated, and as long ago as 1921 a standard classification was drawn up. I understand, however, that for a variety of reasons it has not been possible for all Departments to follow that classification in detail. The whole matter is under constant consideration by the Departments concerned, and will necessarily come up for review by the Permanent Consultative Committee on Official Statistics in connection with the proceedings of the Conference of British Commonwealth Statisticians held at Ottawa last year.