Statistics and Registration Service Bill

moved Amendment No. 33: 33: Clause 5, page 3, line 24, leave out ““numbers and”” The noble Lord said: This is a probing amendment to establish exactly what the Government intend by this subsection, which gives the Minister extraordinary powers over not only the resources of the board but also the number of employees it may have. Beyond the most broad-brush requirements, the board should be trusted to employ as it sees fit. After all, the Government will keep control of funding—by far the most effective method of preventing unnecessary expansion. It is nonsensical to set up this board and then micromanage from a distance. It will not work. This kind of decision should be left to those who are best placed to know how many and what sort of employees are necessary; in this case, the National Statistician. It would be extremely useful if the Minister were to set out exactly what he intends this power to achieve. I beg to move.