§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing the number of civil servants employed in the gathering and publishing of statistics in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. MaplesThe table gives the total number of staff in the Government Statistical Service (GSS) from 1978 to 1988–89, the last year for which such information is available.
Much of the decrease shown in the table results from widespread computerisation of statistical services, which has reduced the need for clerical support. The number of staff in the statistician group (the professionally qualified part of the GSS) increased from 566 on 1 April 1978 to 599 on 1 April 1988, reflecting a continuing level of professional input to the collection, analysis and dissemination of statistical information.
Much data-gathering for the GSS is carried out by staff who are not members of the GSS and some statistics are published by non-GSS staff. The work of the GSS covers more than simply gathering and publishing statistics.
The number of staff in the Government Statistical Service1 1978 to 1988–89 Year Number of staff2 1978 6,157 1979 6,131 1980 5,909 1981 5,587 1982 5,211 1983 4,707 1984 4,469 1985–86 34,592 1986–87 44,767 1987–88 4,254 1988–89 4,228 1The Government Statistical Service is decentalised and its boundaries are liable to change over time. This table collects together figures from many departments. 2At 1 April. 3From 1985–86 onwards the number of staff figure represent the number of man-years in the GSS during the financial year. 4Man-years forecast.
§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing the expenditure in real terms, corrected for inflation, on the gathering and publishing of statistics by Government in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. MaplesThe Government's statistical service is decentralised and the information requested is therefore not available.