§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the members of the Public Sector Classifications Committee; and if he will make a statement on the process by which they were selected. [70512]
§ Mr. BoatengThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Chope, dated 16 July 2002:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the list of members of the Public Sector Classification Committee, and the process by which they were selected. (70512)The Public Sector Classification Committee's members are selected for their National Accounts expertise. Most are automatically entitled to membership through holding particular jobs in The Office for National Statistics. The committee may co-opt others in particular cases if their areas of expertise are relevant. The membership is:
- Head of National Accounts Group (chair)
- Head of National Expenditure & Income Division (vice-chair)
- Head of National Accounts Co-ordination Division
- Head of Balance of Payments & Financial Sector Division
- Head of Short-term Output Indicators Division
- Head of Public Sector Accounts Branch
- Expert on Gross Domestic Product
- Expert on Financial & Sector Accounts
- Expert on Gross National Income
- Others as appropriate.
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the statement by the Head of National Accounts at the Office for National Statistics publicised in a news release of 11 July on responsibility for deciding on classifications in the monitoring and control of public finances. [70514]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Office for National Statistics is responsible for classifying institutions and transactions for national accounts in accordance with international guidelines. Ministers have decided to adopt national accounts definitions in the monitoring and control of public finances. Similarly in the EU, the Council has decided to adopt national accounts definitions in the Maastricht Treaty, its protocols, and in the Stability and Growth Pact.