§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why, in the Office for National Statistics news release ONS(98)199 (29 June), Classification of United Kingdom Geographic Areas, reference is made to "the European Union's Territory" since the European Union is neither a state nor a corporate entity. [HL2546]
158WA
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics, who has been asked to reply.
Letter to Lord Stoddart of Swindon from the Director of the Office for National Statistics, Dr. T. Holt, dated 10 July 1998.
As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary Question regarding the news release on the European Classification of United Kingdom Geographic Areas, published on 29 June 1998.
The aim of the news release was to announce the agreement reached with Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, on the new classification. The term "European Union's territory" was used as shorthand for a description of the economic territory of the member states of the European Union, which has been defined in the Commission decision of 26 July 1991 (C(91)1574, Henning Christopherson, Vice President). I have enclosed a copy of the decision, and a copy is also available in the House of Lords Library.