HC Deb 03 February 1998 vol 305 cc604-5W
Mr. Swinney

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate she has made of the cost of increasing the size of the Family Expenditure Survey sample to allow for accurate family expenditure statistics disaggregated to a Northern Ireland geographical level. [26092]

Mr. Paul Murphy

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has not made any estimate of the cost of increasing the size of the Family Expenditure Survey. Northern Ireland, because of its small population size, already has a larger sample than that required for the United Kingdom Family Expenditure Survey. Separate family expenditure statistics are produced for Northern Ireland and are accurate for the purposes to which they are put.

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