§ Mr. SymsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Office for National Statistics has reached a preliminary view on the treatment of trust ports as part of the PSBR rules; and if he will make a statement. [147146]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 25 January 2001]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Robert Syms, dated 29 January 2001:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the treatment of trust ports as part of the PSBR rules (147146).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS), in conjunction with Her Majesty's Treasury, has been reviewing the classification of bodies that might be classified in the public sector. The classification of trust ports is still under discussion between the ONS, Her Majesty's Treasury and the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.