§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in respect of the statistics kept and published by his Department, he will publish in the Official Report any changes since 1979 in (a) the statistical series which are published, including those which have been introduced and those which have been dropped, (b) the basis on which any elements in the statistics are estimated, calculated or presented, (c) the periods over which, and the dates on which the series are collected or published and (d) any other respects in the ways in which the statistics are collected, recorded, presented, evaluated, or published; and if he will explain the reasons for any such changes.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe Department keeps the content of statistical returns under continuous review and always seeks to end the collection of statistics no longer necessary. I shall let the hon. Member have a fuller reply as soon as possible.