§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have been consulted by National Statistics about proposals which impinge on Government policy as defined in the response of the Statistics Commission to the draft National Statistics Code of Practice in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [80414]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Matthew Taylor, dated 19 November 2002:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning how many occasions Ministers have been consulted by National Statistics about proposals which impinge on Government policy as defined in the response of the Statistics Commission to the draft National Statistics Code of Practice in each of the last five years. (80414).My responsibility for consulting Ministers on "proposals that impinge on government policy" is embodied within the "National Statistics Protocol on Consultation Arrangements between the National Statistician and UK Government Ministers" which came into effect on October 1 Ph this year. Since that date I have not had occasion to consult Ministers under this Protocol.As the Protocol indicates, a record of ministerial consultations will be kept and reported annually in the National Statistics Annual Report.