§ Baroness Gould of Potternewtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect the Home Office statistical bulletin containing the recorded crime statistics for England and Wales for the period April 1999 to March 2000 to be published. [HL3366]
§ Lord BachThe decision as to when the statistics on recorded crime are to be published is taken by the Director of Research, Development and Statistics at the Home Office and is announced well in advance, as was the date of 18 July for the publication of the crime statistics from March 1999—March 2000. Ministers are informed but not consulted about such dates. This follows the new arrangement to protect the integrity of national statistics which I established in 1997.
In the light of the fact that my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is now planning, parliamentary time allowing, to make a statement on public spending in the afternoon of 18 July, the Director of Research, Development and Statistics, Professor Paul Wiles, has decided that the statistics will be published on 18 July, as was originally announced, but at 00:01 hours rather than 11:00. An embargoed press briefing will be provided on 17 July so that the statistics can be reported on the morning of 18 July. At the same time as embargoed press copies are made available, they will also be sent to the 58WA Opposition. To ensure that Parliament is properly informed, copies of the crime statistics will be placed on the Home Office website and in the Library at 00:01 hours on 18 July.