HC Deb 01 March 1968 vol 759 cc443-7W
Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Minister of Power how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature, applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Minister of Health how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature, applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Place of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Minister of Transport how many digital computers are now used by her Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans she has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature applying to individual or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature applying to individuals or individual organisations or restricted for security reasons, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature, applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce stastical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature, applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Minister of Technology how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of com- puters has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature, applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature, applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Minister of Social Security how many digital computers are now used by her Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans she has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature, applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Ian Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs how many digital computers are now used by his Department to produce statistical information for Her Majesty's Government; what new categories of information the use of computers has made possible; and what plans he has for such information, other than that of a confidential nature, applying to individuals or individual organisations, to be made available on demand within the Palace of Westminster to Members of Parliament.

Mr. Harold Lever

As the Treasury has central responsibility for the development of the use of computers in Government Departments and the use of computer bureaux, I have been asked to reply.

The number of digital computers now used wholly or in part in producing statistical information for the Departments concerned is 28 within the central government service and 24 elsewhere, e.g. at commercial bureaux. The introduction of computers has made it possible to carry out more rapid processing of individual statistical returns and much more detailed analysis and cross-analysis. It has also opened the way to the extensive use of more advanced techniques, e.g. regression analysis and model building. Further developments in the use of computers for statistical purposes are planned. The amount of statistical information regularly published by the Government and made available on special request has steadily increased, and will continue to grow. Articles describing the, results of new analytical work are frequently published in Economic Trends and other official publications.