§ Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions the Office for National Statistics has had with(a) the local authority and (b) the Primary Care Trust in Milton Keynes on the reliability of the 2001 Census results for Milton Keynes. [132172]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Phyllis Starkey, dated 15 October 2003:
As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking about what discussions the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has had with (a) the local authority and (b) the Primary Care Trust in Milton Keynes on the reliability of the 2001 Census results for Milton Keynes. (132172)
To date we have not had any face to face discussions with Milton Keynes Council or the Primary Care Trust concerning the results for Milton Keynes, but during the period 9 May to 16 September there has been extensive correspondence with these organisations. We have also corresponded with the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority.
In our detailed responses we have covered all the points raised and we have also explained that a further analysis suggested by Milton Keynes local authority would be considered in the work that ONS is planning to take forward following the review report "A demographic statistics service for the 21st Century" published on 9 July.
283WONS are willing to meet representatives from Milton Keynes Council and the Primary Care Trust to discuss their concerns and explain the One Number Census methodology to aid their understanding of how their Census estimates were derived.