Letter dated 02/04/2009 from Lord Brett to Lord Bates regarding knife crime and other issues arising from the debate on the Official Statistics Order 2009 on 16/03/2009 [with accompanying documents]. 24 p.

Letter dated 02/04/2009 from Lord Brett to Lord Bates regarding knife crime and other issues arising from the debate on the Official Statistics Order 2009 on 16/03/2009 [with accompanying documents]. 24 p.

That the draft order laid before the House on 28 January be approved. Relevant Documents: 5th Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, considered in Grand Committee on 16 March. Motion approved.

That the draft order laid before the House on 28 January be approved. Relevant Documents: 5th Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, considered in Grand Committee on 16 March. Motion approved.

Draft Official Statistics Order 2009. Lords motion to approve. Agreed to on question (formal).

Draft Official Statistics Order 2009. Lords motion to approve. Agreed to on question (formal).

I am not saying that that is entirely reasonable. What is entirely reasonable is to await the publication of the Select Committee report to see the views of those who examined this in another place. No doubt it will be debated and that will be an appropriate place to debate...

I am not saying that that is entirely reasonable. What is entirely reasonable is to await the publication of the Select Committee report to see the views of those who examined this in another place. No doubt it will be debated and that will be an appropriate place to debate...

I rise with some trepidation following the battering that I have received from the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin. I do so also partly protected by my ignorance of the discussions to which he referred in terms of the Joint Committee. However, some of the answers to the questions that he...

I rise with some trepidation following the battering that I have received from the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin. I do so also partly protected by my ignorance of the discussions to which he referred in terms of the Joint Committee. However, some of the answers to the questions that he...

Did the Prime Minister apologise to all those that he was now sending this new rule out to? Did he say that it was his fault and that he was very sorry? If he did, it would be a first.

Did the Prime Minister apologise to all those that he was now sending this new rule out to? Did he say that it was his fault and that he was very sorry? If he did, it would be a first.

How can the Minister possibly argue that the system was working as it should have when the Prime Minister overruled all his officials, including the National Statistician, and insisted upon publishing statistics that he had been firmly told that he ought not to? We had debate after debate on the...

How can the Minister possibly argue that the system was working as it should have when the Prime Minister overruled all his officials, including the National Statistician, and insisted upon publishing statistics that he had been firmly told that he ought not to? We had debate after debate on the...

The Minister may or may not be aware that, last year, with the support of the noble Lord, Lord Turnbull, I submitted a paper to the Liaison Committee of the House in which we recommended that the accountability of what was then called the Statistics Board, but which is now...

The Minister may or may not be aware that, last year, with the support of the noble Lord, Lord Turnbull, I submitted a paper to the Liaison Committee of the House in which we recommended that the accountability of what was then called the Statistics Board, but which is now...

All members of the Committee will be aware of the important work being done by the UK Statistics Authority. The body was created by this Government last year with a statutory responsibility to promote and safeguard the production and publication of official statistics. Two of its main functions are to...

All members of the Committee will be aware of the important work being done by the UK Statistics Authority. The body was created by this Government last year with a statutory responsibility to promote and safeguard the production and publication of official statistics. Two of its main functions are to...

It is always a pleasure to hear the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, speak on statistics. We debated these issues during the passage of the Bill and in subsequent debates on the establishment of a Joint Select Committee, when he said that there was a unanimous view in your Lordships’ House...

It is always a pleasure to hear the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, speak on statistics. We debated these issues during the passage of the Bill and in subsequent debates on the establishment of a Joint Select Committee, when he said that there was a unanimous view in your Lordships’ House...

Draft Official Statistics Order 2009. Lords debate on a motion to approve. Agreed to on question. Grand Committee held in the Moses Room. [Relevant document: 5th report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments]

Draft Official Statistics Order 2009. Lords debate on a motion to approve. Agreed to on question. Grand Committee held in the Moses Room. [Relevant document: 5th report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments]

Is the Minister suggesting that it will be in order for this House to debate the report of a Select Committee made in the other place? Is that what he is suggesting?

Is the Minister suggesting that it will be in order for this House to debate the report of a Select Committee made in the other place? Is that what he is suggesting?

The noble Lord is asking rhetorical questions. This is the circulation of a document to civil servants, from the head of the Civil Service to the appropriate Permanent Secretaries in departments. We are seeking to ensure that officials and special advisers know their role, so there is no question of...

The noble Lord is asking rhetorical questions. This is the circulation of a document to civil servants, from the head of the Civil Service to the appropriate Permanent Secretaries in departments. We are seeking to ensure that officials and special advisers know their role, so there is no question of...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, for his remarks, with which I want to associate myself. As a new boy in this place, hearing distinguished Members holding the Government to account over the quality of statistics is very impressive and serious. The charge that was made was extremely serious,...

I thank the noble Lord, Lord Jenkin, for his remarks, with which I want to associate myself. As a new boy in this place, hearing distinguished Members holding the Government to account over the quality of statistics is very impressive and serious. The charge that was made was extremely serious,...

It is not a rhetorical point. The point was made by my noble friend to say that the Prime Minister specifically said on 10 December that he required this information to be released. In his defence, the Minister has cited the fact that the Home Secretary apologised. It is entirely...

It is not a rhetorical point. The point was made by my noble friend to say that the Prime Minister specifically said on 10 December that he required this information to be released. In his defence, the Minister has cited the fact that the Home Secretary apologised. It is entirely...

Before the Minister leaves that point, can he be specific about what has changed so that it would not be allowed to happen again?

Before the Minister leaves that point, can he be specific about what has changed so that it would not be allowed to happen again?

That would not be possible for anyone to say. However, the roles of the statisticians, the private offices, official departments, officials and Ministers are now absolutely clear. That has been circulated to all and sundry to ensure that no one is unaware, that the situation does not repeat itself and...

That would not be possible for anyone to say. However, the roles of the statisticians, the private offices, official departments, officials and Ministers are now absolutely clear. That has been circulated to all and sundry to ensure that no one is unaware, that the situation does not repeat itself and...

I am afraid that the noble Lord misunderstands me. I am not suggesting that the system was working properly on that date. I am saying that it that caused a furore, and caused Parliament and Ministers to respond. It caused an apology to be received by the House of Commons....

I am afraid that the noble Lord misunderstands me. I am not suggesting that the system was working properly on that date. I am saying that it that caused a furore, and caused Parliament and Ministers to respond. It caused an apology to be received by the House of Commons....

That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Official Statistics Order 2009 Relevant Document: 5th Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.

That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Official Statistics Order 2009 Relevant Document: 5th Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.

The noble Lord is a very old and wise former secretary to a department. He knows precisely that I am not suggesting that. I am suggesting solely that he has raised evidence about a Select Committee report in another place which is dealing with the problem. I am suggesting that...

The noble Lord is a very old and wise former secretary to a department. He knows precisely that I am not suggesting that. I am suggesting solely that he has raised evidence about a Select Committee report in another place which is dealing with the problem. I am suggesting that...