HC Deb 09 July 1974 vol 876 cc1130-2
15. Mr. David Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide, free of charge, expert assistance to those employers who have been required to furnish information in a questionnaire entitled Survey of Labour Costs, 1973.

The Minister of State, Department of Employment (Mr. Albert Booth)

Employers who encounter any difficulties in completing such statistical returns are invited in the covering letter which accompanies the questionnaire, to seek help from my Department.

Mr. Mitchell

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the high cost to small businesses of assembling all the information which is requested in the questionnaire? Is he aware that much of the information is already given to the Treasury? Is he further aware that the questionnaire contains no fewer than 72 questions? It is wholly unreasonable for a firm to have to collect all the information. I am aware that this practice has been going on for a long time, but may I ask the hon. Gentleman to take steps to ensure that in future these quesionnaires are severely limited to the minimum possible requirements?

Mr. Booth

This survey is being conducted at the request of the European Economic Community. All the information which is being collected is required by the Community. Therefore, it may be in the hands of this House and the people of this country to decide whether this cost will continue to be borne by employers.

Mrs. Knight

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that the bulk of the information demanded is not about the EEC. Is he also aware that the collecting and collating of information can be a tremendous burden on small firms which do not have large clerical staffs? Will he try to cut down the necessity for some of these questions?

Mr. Booth

I assure the hon. Lady that I am not anxious to heap unnecessary work upon any firms. I appreciate that difficulties may be created in providing the information. That is why my Department, on request, gives advice through specialist staff by explanation and clarifi cation on how to complete the questionnaires. However, we cannot send staff to the firms to do the work for them.