Statistics and Registration Service Bill

moved Amendment No. 37: 37: Clause 7, page 4, line 23, at end insert ““, and ( ) establishing and maintaining the accuracy, integrity and transparency of statistics for the benefit of the individual citizen.”” The noble Earl said: This amendment would broaden the Bill’s definition of the ““public good”” to encompass, "““establishing and maintaining the accuracy, integrity and transparency of statistics for the benefit of the individual citizen””," echoing, at least in part, my noble friend’s Amendment No. 35. The Committee will recall that, although at Second Reading I welcomed the Government’s decision to insert the reference to ““public good””, I also expressed concern that the way in which it was drafted might be too Westminster-centric. Thus, the primary purpose here is to create some measure of citizen focus to the definition. I may be stretching the point a little but I hope that, at least to some extent, this is consistent with the identification by the noble Lord, Lord Moser, at Second Reading of a, "““need to put greater emphasis on the voice of the user””.—[Official Report, 27/3/07; col. 1435.]" I accept that, in a sense, the amendment states the glaringly obvious. Indeed, its sentiment, albeit from a different perspective, is repeated in subsection (4)(a) of the clause by virtue of the reference that the quality of statistics includes, "““their impartiality, accuracy and relevance””." Nevertheless, and notwithstanding the strictures of the Minister in respect of Amendment No. 35, I believe that there is considerable virtue in establishing an explicit association between the public good and these qualities, if only as a means of emphasising the significance of the Bill in reinvigorating public trust in statistics—a proposition that engendered unanimity in the House at Second Reading and has been an especial feature of our earlier debates. Here, I echo the observation of the noble Lord, Lord Moser, already cited by the Minister. He said: "““Trust … is a complex matter””.—[Official Report, 26/3/07; col. 1454.]" But this persuades me that there is much to be gained from tailoring the Bill, especially in the context of the objective to satisfy the public good, in order that as much public trust as possible can be generated. I beg to move.