§ Mr. Gregor Mackenzieasked the Prime Minister what action he is taking to improve Government organisation in the field of social statistics.
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§ The Prime MinisterAs a further stage in improving the Government's statistical services, the General Register Office for England and Wales and the Government Social Survey Department are to be merged into a new Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.
The new office will be closely linked with the Central Statistical Office, and the Director of the Central Statistical Office and the head of the new office will together, under the general direction of Ministers, guide the direction and programming of its survey, censuses and statistical work: close links will be maintained between the new office and the General Register Office for Scotland.
The Central Statistical Office, which of course reports to me, will thus be closely concerned with the general policy of the new office, but day-to-day Ministerial responsibility will be exercised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. He will retain his existing responsibilities for the General Register Office and his Department will be a major contributor to the work of the new office. Social surveys will continue to be undertaken by the new office for other Government Departments and new arrangements do not affect the responsibility of individual Ministers for matters of Departmental policy arising on such surveys.
I will make a further statement about the date when these arrangements come into operation.