§ Mr. Frank Fieldasked the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy not to accept any recommendation from the machinery of government review of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys which would result in a reduction of the quality of integrity of statistics available to Parliament and Government.
§ The Prime MinisterAll Government statistics are produced with integrity and to standards appropriate to their intended use under the supervision of professional statisticians. This will continue to be the case. When the review is complete, I shall consider its recommendations.
§ Mr. Frank Fieldasked the Prime Minister why the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is to be the subject of a machinery of government review; how much 320W notice was given to the staff concerned; what reviews of statistical and similar services have been conducted since 1979; when such reviews were completed; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterA review of Government statistical services was completed in December 1980, a review of the commissioning of ad hoc social surveys in September 1981, and an efficiency scrutiny of the registration of births, deaths, and marriages in February 1985. Since 1979 there has not, however, been a review of the activities of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys overall and I have decided that such a review would be appropriate now. The trade union side of OPCS was notified on 2 June, when the review commenced.