§ 1. Mr. Blackburnasked the President of the Board of Trade the purpose of the census of distribution; and whether information given in connection with it is treated as confidential.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Harold Wilson)The purposes of the Census of Distribution are clearly set out in the Report of the Census of Distribution Committee (Cmd. 6764) which was appointed by the Caretaker Government in 1945, and statements by Members of the Government in the House have explained the need for this census. The Committee laid particular stress upon the value of the census for a full employment policy. Information collected for the census will be treated as strictly confidential.
§ Mr. BlackburnIs my right hon. Friend aware that unscrupulous propaganda during the last General Election made out that the census was in some way connected with nationalisation? Will he therefore make it quite plain that it 438 is for statistical purposes only, and that it has nothing to do with party political purposes?
§ Mr. WilsonI am aware that there was that propaganda, and also that there was propaganda to the effect that this would not be treated as strictly confidential information.
§ Mr. C. S. TaylorAs the figures which will be given will bear no relation to reality, because of the various regulations that will affect them, will the President consider postponing the census for another year?
§ Mr. WilsonNo, Sir.