§ Dr. CableTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the definition of income in the family expenditure survey includes capital gains. [153616]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 9 February 2004:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking whether the definition of income in the Family Expenditure Survey includes capital gains. (153616)The definition of income used in the Family Expenditure Survey, and its successor from 2001–02, the Expenditure and Food Survey, does not include capital gains. This is in accordance with international guidelines. Further detail is available on the National Statistics website at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ downloads/theme_social/Family_Spending_2001_02_revised/ Family_Spending_revised.pdf