Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I am trying to understand the hon. Gentleman’s objection to the wording. Serving the public good surely depends on a wider test of the public good than what Whitehall considers it to be. The second element specifically mentions"““informing the public about social and economic matters””." Again, those must be wider...

I am trying to understand the hon. Gentleman’s objection to the wording. Serving the public good surely depends on a wider test of the public good than what Whitehall considers it to be. The second element specifically mentions"““informing the public about social and economic matters””." Again, those must be wider...

Does the hon. Gentleman not accept that some statistics might be needed because of the requirements of international institutions, for instance? Such statistics would be for the purposes of international comparison, and would not therefore have to meet the test of ““public good”” in a local or national context.

Does the hon. Gentleman not accept that some statistics might be needed because of the requirements of international institutions, for instance? Such statistics would be for the purposes of international comparison, and would not therefore have to meet the test of ““public good”” in a local or national context.

I absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman’s comments. My point is not that everything needs to be done at the most local level, but that if information is not collected and available in order to be aggregated upwards, we will not have the instruments to interpret what is happening, whether...

I absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman’s comments. My point is not that everything needs to be done at the most local level, but that if information is not collected and available in order to be aggregated upwards, we will not have the instruments to interpret what is happening, whether...

Anybody who believes in an evidence-based approach to public policy must welcome the Bill and our debate. I am sure that the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) was disappointed to miss the opportunity of serving on the Committee, which was one of the best that I have had the...

Anybody who believes in an evidence-based approach to public policy must welcome the Bill and our debate. I am sure that the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) was disappointed to miss the opportunity of serving on the Committee, which was one of the best that I have had the...

I am following the points about independence and objectivity with great interest. What does the hon. Lady think is the purpose of statistics?

I am following the points about independence and objectivity with great interest. What does the hon. Lady think is the purpose of statistics?

Has the hon. Gentleman noted that his colleagues from Wales are so interested in the topic that not one of them has joined him to debate it? Those of us in the Chamber who represent Welsh constituencies note with interest that interference in Welsh affairs has to depend on a...

Has the hon. Gentleman noted that his colleagues from Wales are so interested in the topic that not one of them has joined him to debate it? Those of us in the Chamber who represent Welsh constituencies note with interest that interference in Welsh affairs has to depend on a...

I am one of the few people in the House who has experience in this respect. It was always my experience that Ministers in this Parliament and this Government respected entirely the role of devolved Ministers in making recommendations of the sort that has been indicated.

I am one of the few people in the House who has experience in this respect. It was always my experience that Ministers in this Parliament and this Government respected entirely the role of devolved Ministers in making recommendations of the sort that has been indicated.

Indeed, Madam Deputy Speaker. What should we do if we cannot answer questions such as that about the length of time that it takes to get young offenders before the courts, which we raised at the Home Office in the past? On that occasion, the officials had to answer the...

Indeed, Madam Deputy Speaker. What should we do if we cannot answer questions such as that about the length of time that it takes to get young offenders before the courts, which we raised at the Home Office in the past? On that occasion, the officials had to answer the...

I think that that is a rather negative reason for keeping those powers within the Treasury, and I concede that the hon. Lady has a point. However, I would rather answer a different question, which the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet did not raise in her introduction, namely, which body...

I think that that is a rather negative reason for keeping those powers within the Treasury, and I concede that the hon. Lady has a point. However, I would rather answer a different question, which the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet did not raise in her introduction, namely, which body...

Actually, there has been less change at the Treasury than at many other Departments over the past few years. [Interruption.] As my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Stephen Pound) says, its leadership has been more dependable and continuous than the Liberal Democrat leadership. The way in which the...

Actually, there has been less change at the Treasury than at many other Departments over the past few years. [Interruption.] As my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Stephen Pound) says, its leadership has been more dependable and continuous than the Liberal Democrat leadership. The way in which the...

The hon. Lady asks which Department is least likely to interfere. Surely the question would more sensibly be which Department is most likely to create positive outcomes.

The hon. Lady asks which Department is least likely to interfere. Surely the question would more sensibly be which Department is most likely to create positive outcomes.

I am more interested in the positive, and that is what I shall argue for. The defensiveness and the defeated tone of the Opposition’s contribution is a little sad. In fact, the use of objective statistics in the development of public policy ought to be welcomed by all parties as...

I am more interested in the positive, and that is what I shall argue for. The defensiveness and the defeated tone of the Opposition’s contribution is a little sad. In fact, the use of objective statistics in the development of public policy ought to be welcomed by all parties as...

I am grateful for the opportunity to respond to the speech of the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers). She gave three reasons for seeking to change accountability in Government. When any such change is made, it must be recognised that breaking one set of relationships in favour of...

I am grateful for the opportunity to respond to the speech of the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers). She gave three reasons for seeking to change accountability in Government. When any such change is made, it must be recognised that breaking one set of relationships in favour of...

I thought that the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers) rather undervalued the process that we have been through in Committee and since. We are taking part in an historic event, and I should tell colleagues who were in Committee that I thoroughly enjoyed being involved in the debates....

I thought that the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers) rather undervalued the process that we have been through in Committee and since. We are taking part in an historic event, and I should tell colleagues who were in Committee that I thoroughly enjoyed being involved in the debates....

The point that I am making, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is that the Bill, as amended today by amendment No. 48, makes clear the importance of dealing with the public interest and ensuring that the statistical information informs public policy, so that it can deal with the issues that concern our...

The point that I am making, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is that the Bill, as amended today by amendment No. 48, makes clear the importance of dealing with the public interest and ensuring that the statistical information informs public policy, so that it can deal with the issues that concern our...

On the question of data sharing, does the Minister accept that it is essential that information does not reside in silos and that relevant information can be compared and measured so that reality can be tested? It is important that that is made as clear as possible, and that the...

On the question of data sharing, does the Minister accept that it is essential that information does not reside in silos and that relevant information can be compared and measured so that reality can be tested? It is important that that is made as clear as possible, and that the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which 10 companies with a presence in the UK have the highest (a) number of employees and (b) annual turnover.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which 10 companies with a presence in the UK have the highest (a) number of employees and (b) annual turnover.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what figures she collates on traffic flows in national parks. - None, but the Department for Transport collects such info on motorways, 'A' roads and many 'B' roads.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what figures she collates on traffic flows in national parks. - None, but the Department for Transport collects such info on motorways, 'A' roads and many 'B' roads.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff by grade are employed as professional statisticians in his Department; how many of these staff have been accepted as fast stream by the Civil Service Selection Board; and how many have been granted chartered statistician status by the Royal...

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff by grade are employed as professional statisticians in his Department; how many of these staff have been accepted as fast stream by the Civil Service Selection Board; and how many have been granted chartered statistician status by the Royal...