Statistics

HC Deb 03 December 1986 vol 106 cc659-61W

Mr. Gould

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland 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,

Statistics	Changes
School Leavers	Coverage extended in 1981, 1983 and 1984 to reflect changes in the education system.
Further Education Statistics	Coverage extended in 1980 and 1982.
School Leavers Statistics	Coverage extended in 1986.
Placing Requests	Statistical return introduced in 1982; coverage extended in 1984.
Community Education Statistics	Coverage restricted in 1980 (following Rayner Review).
Joint Manpower Watch	Seasonally adjusted quarterly figures introduced in 1981.
"Rates and Rateable Values in Scotland"	Last published in 1982. (Information available in CIPFA's "Rating Review").
"Criminal Statistics Scotland" (Annual volume)	Last published 1982. Replaced by series of statistical bulletins (from 1983 onwards).
Police Detention Statistics	Introduced 1981 to monitor section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980.
Fine Defaulters Statistics	More detail introduced 1983 on defaulters received into penal establishments.

(a) local authority rents and (b) fair rents registered for unfurnished lettings in Scotland in each of the years from 1979 to 1986, indicating the percentage increase in each on an annual and a cumulative basis; and how these increases compare with the movement of the retail price index over the same period.

Mr. Ancram

The information requested is given in the table below. Comparisons of average rents registered between one year and the next can be misleading because of the large variation in property types registered at different points in time. Similar considerations can invalidate comparisons between the movements in averages for registrations and local authority rents.

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.

Mr. Rifkind

The changes in the statistics kept and published by the Scottish Office since 1979 affect the series listed in the following table:

Statistics	Changes
Statistics of initial breath tests	Not collected centrally after:
	1981—previous findings of guilt for persons proceeded against
	1982—results of applications for removal of disqualification from driving; and
	1984—initial breath tests administered by police.
Statistics of previous convictions of those received into penal establishments	Not published after 1983 due to unreliability.
"Scottish Transport Statistics"	Statistics extended in each of 1985 and 1986 publications.
Radioactivity Statistics	Annual statistics introduced in statistical bulletins in 1984 for both emissions and environmental levels.
"Scottish Housing Statistics"	Quarterly volume ceased 1982. Replaced by annual volume and series of quarterly and occasional statistical bulletins.
Household Projections	Biennial frequency adopted instead of annual in 1983 (following Rayner Report).
Homelessness Statistics	Reduction in range of statistics collected and published, 1982 (following Rayner Report).
Review of Housing Statistics	1985, across the board review, resulting in more relevant information with some forms dropped and some extended.
Index of Industrial Production	Revised and rebased (1980 base) in 1984. More detailed indices published 1985.
Gross Domestic Product (Output based)	Estimates for Scotland first published 1986.
December Agricultural Census	Sample census introduced in 1983 instead of full census.
Costs and Earnings of Scottish Fishing Fleet	Annual survey results first published 1981.
Scottish Salmon and Sea Trout Catches	Detailed results for 1952–81 published 1983–84. Subsequent annual figures in statistical bulletins.

Changes in the basis of compilation, presentation and publication of statistical series are made from time to time in response to the Government's requirements for statistical information, changes in the administrative systems on which some series are based, the development of new statistical techniques and technological development affecting the compilation and dissemination of statistical data. When such changes are made they are fully documented in the relevant statistical publications.