Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 16 March 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 19 March 1998. It was answered by Baroness Primarolo (Labour) on Thursday, 19 March 1998 on behalf of the Office for National Statistics.

Treasury;Office for National Statistics

Question: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to recast GDP to take account of environmental factors. - Text of letter from Tim Holt of the Office for National Statistics.

Answer: Mr. Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to recast GDP to take account of environmental factors. [35318] Dawn Primarolo: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Norman Baker, dated 19 March 1998: As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on GDP. The ONS is maintaining an active programme of work on calculating a `satellite' environmental account. Techniques of environmental valuation are used by officials to assist in informing policy making. There are no current plans to use environmental valuation techniques to recast GDP. GDP is calculated by an internationally agreed procedure set out in the System of National Accounts (SNA68), SNA93 from September 1998, and subsequently in the European Union's European System of National Accounts (ESA93), ESA95 from September 1998. For further information the ONS published "The pilot UK environmental accounts" in Economic Trends in August 1996 and an article "Environmental Accounts--valuing the depletion of oil and gas reserves" published in April 1996. Copies of Economic Trends are available in the House of Commons Library.

Secondary information