§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the Rayner review of the Government statistical service to be published; what proportion of the expenditure of the social survey division of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is devoted to "ad hoc" surveys; what is the average cost of such surveys; and how this compares with similar surveys commissioned by him from the private sector.
§ Sir George YoungI understand that my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord President of the Council will make an announcement about the Government's review of thethe Government statistical service shortly.
In 1980, ad hoc surveys accounted for about 40 per cent. of the expenditure of the social survey division of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. Of the surveys started in 1980, estimated costs varied between £45,000 and £350,000, but it is not possible to give a meaningful average because the surveys vary greatly in size, complexity and methodology. Moreover, the OPCS sometimes carries out only part of the many stages of an ad hoc survey project. For the same reasons it is not 213W possible to make direct comparisons between the cost of surveys carried out by the OPCS and those commissioned from private sector firms.