Labour Statistics (Hansard, 5 March 1985)

§ 4. Mr. Winnick
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the recent letter sent by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mr. Clark) to the hon. Member for Walsall, North, about his new practice of answering written questions relating to unemployment statistics in different parts of the United Kingdom by reference to material in the Library.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. Alan Clark)
Yes, Sir. I shall publish all the letters that I have sent to the hon. Member on this subject and also that sent by me to all right hon. and hon. Members on 19 October 1984. I am grateful to him for drawing attention to the new arrangements that have been introduced into the Library to enable the House to have immediate access to a wider range of unemployment information at less cost. A written answer which, coming from the same source, would give identical information, would be slower and more expensive. But if the hon. Gentleman insists, we are ready to oblige.

§ Mr. Winnick
Is the Minister aware that we do insist? It is unacceptable that hon. Members cannot seek information from Ministers on unemployment statistics. We can see that only as a cover up for embarrassing information—[Interruption.] The Minister says that if 762 we insist, the policy will be restored to what it was. Is that a firm pledge? Will the Minister confirm that that is the position?

§ Mr. Clark
Of course. I have just said that. That is the position. I do not understand the confrontational setting in which the hon. Gentleman claims to see this topic. This arrangement was introduced to speed up the service that is available to members. There is ample precedent in "Erskine May" at page 341 for reference to published sources. If it is beyond the hon. Gentleman's ingenuity or if he is too busy to walk along the corridor to the Library to read the information for himself, he will, as I have said, consume our time and taxpayers' money and get a written answer. However, it will come about three days later than if he were to go to the Library.

§ Mr. Malone
Is my hon. Friend aware that the new arrangements in the Library give far more detailed coverage of unemployment figures? In view of that, is it right that the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) should try to write his press releases at public expense?

§ Mr. Clark
That is just about it. That probably explains why the hon. Gentleman's press releases are so turgid and dreary. Were he to devote some of his notoriously high IQ to drafting more convoluted questions, he would probably get better results for his local paper.
Following are the letters:

David Winnick Esq MP

House of Commons

LONDON SW1A OAA 7 January 1985

Dear David Thank you for sending me a copy of your letter of 4 December to Dr. Menhennet concerning the information requested in your parliamentary question on unemployment figures for the West Midlands to which I replied on 29 November. Now that I have replied to your further question about the change in practice in answering questions on unemployment statistics (Official Report, 6 December 1984, Vol 69, Cols 259–60) there is little for me to add. I should however emphasise that the new arrangements provide a more effective means of giving Members the figures they require. In particular data should be provided more quickly and conveniently than before. I would also add that the Library is only expected to deal with the more straightforward requests for data, extending the service they were already providing. We will continue to answer Members whose quest ions pose particular problems. As you may know, John Prescott has also written to Tom King on this matter and I enclose a copy of that correspondence.

David Winnick Esq MP
House of Commons
LONDON SW1A OAA	7 January 1985