§ Lord Taylor of Warwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking in response to the announcement by the Office for National Statistics that it had experienced difficulties calculating pension contributions because double counting 14WA errors could be more serious than previously thought. [HL1120]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from the National Statistician, Mr Len Cook, to Lord Taylor of Warwick, dated 23 February 2004.
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the calculation of pension contributions (HL1120).
The ONS Pensions Contributions Statistics Review (published in October 2002) identified a lack of clarity with how insurance companies record data on pensions contributions in the ONS survey of insurance companies and pension funds, and recommended a study into how insurance companies are completing the survey questionnaire. The results of this study confirm past expectations of double counting and extended the range of possible reasons. As a result, the Office for National Statistics has reviewed the questionnaires. The study provided no information about the total level of double counting, or any ways in which this might be offset by under-coverage. The revised questionnaires include more detailed guidance for insurance companies and ask for more detailed data. New questionnaires have been prepared for use from the first calendar quarter of 2004 and for the 2003 annual survey.
The quarterly results will be reported on the new basis during 2004. The effect of any double counting will not be known precisely until early in 2005 when the annual survey for 2003, using the new questionnaire, can be compared with the original quarterly results for that year.