§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has discontinued(a) collection or (b) the publication of any statistics since 1979.
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§ Mr. AtkinsAlthough the Department does not collect many statistics from businesses, there have been some reductions in information gathered in respect of the ports and bus industries since 1979. There have also been changes in the sources and methods used for compiling and publishing statistics. Relieving the burden on suppliers of data has been a major consideration in determining these changes.
The principal reductions in data collection were:
Bus and coach industry: Rationalisation of 35 separate financial and operational data flows into simpler returns. Quarterly return dropped in 1989.Ports: Reduction in statistics required from ports when DTp took over functions of the National Ports Council in 1980. Some reduction in published data.Road freight: discontinuation of goods vehicle list because data from DVLC were found to be a satisfactory alternative. A small survey of market conditions in the international road haulage industry for the European Community is now conducted by a private sector organisation.Publication of statistics has expanded. The latest issue of "Transport Statistics Great Britain" is a larger volume than the 1979 edition, but, as a result of the introduction of desktop publishing methods, the cover price has remained virtually unchanged.