§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what measures have been taken to ensure that all those outside Government agencies who are concerned with the collection and use of the unemployment figures, especially the trade unions, employers' federations, research units and universities, are given an opportunity to comment on the present methods of collection and analysis;
(2) if his review of the present method of collecting unemployment figures will consider the possibility of recurrent, if not regular, sample surveys of the population as well as data collected at local employment exchanges.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithMy right hon. Friend has asked the Department to carry out a review of the unemployment statistics in consultation with other Departments concerned; but it is not the intention to call for formal evidence from other bodies. The review will consider sample surveys of the population as a source of unemployment statistics, as well as data collected in employment exchanges.