§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action his Department will take in response to the recent Statistics Commission report on the accuracy of the 2001 census for the Westminster city council area. [136992]
§ Mr. RaynsfordAccurate census and population statistics are an important issue for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, particularly for financial allocation and as the basis for population and household projections which underpin a range of policy needs for housing and community support. We look to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to supply these to the highest standard achievable, and in response to the statistics commission report the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and other Central Government Departments will engage with ONS to ensure that this is achieved.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also noted the recommendation to make progress on the creation of an accurate address register. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister agrees with the need for this and will be working with ONS and other relevant bodies to improve national address information.