Statistics and Registration Service Bill

I echo the last point of my noble friend about the power of direction standing as a very real threat over the board. It will always be looking over its shoulder at the possibility of a direction being issued under the clause. If it knows that the Cabinet Office, or whoever, must produce an order before Parliament which could be debateable—albeit by the negative procedure—that would be a considerable reassurance and a further indication of the distancing of Ministers from the day-to-day operation of the board. Almost the first statement that the Government made about the Bill was that the board distances Ministers from the operation of the statistical system. My noble friend’s amendment would be a tangible expression of the Government’s own philosophy. I hope that we will be able to support it.