Written question asked by Mike Weir (Scottish National Party) on Tuesday, 23 March 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 29 March 2010. It was answered by Ann McKechin (Labour) on Monday, 29 March 2010 on behalf of the Scotland Office.

Statistics: Scotland

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he had with the National Statistician on the (a) methodology and (b) presentation of national statistics in his Department's publication entitled (i) Scotland and Defence, (ii) Expenditure and revenue in Scotland, (iii) Tax and (iv) Scotland and Oil.

Answer: The Scotland Office Background Papers in question all draw on existing National Statistics publications but were not themselves classified as National Statistics. Indeed they simply draw on already existing statistics, such as the Scottish Government's GERS result that Scotland had a fiscal deficit of £11.1 billion in 2007-08. Such analysis clearly underlines how Scotland's economic prosperity is best safeguarded as being at the heart of the UK.

Secondary information