§ Ms CorstonTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 13 April,Official Report, column 169, if he will make a statement on measures being taken to allow for changes in the family expenditure survey and in the classification of both income and taxation to improve time series statistics on the distribution of income, or specify upper and lower ranges of possible error, to overcome the problems of comparability.
§ Mr. NelsonThe family expenditure survey is modified over time to improve the quality and usefulness of the data and consequently changes are made which can have an effect on the continuity of published data. The aim of the Central Statistical Office article on the effects of taxes and benefits on household income is to give the best estimates for the current year. It is not possible to eliminate all inconsistencies.