Clause 35
Statistics and Registration Service Bill
6:30 pm
Vincent Cable (Shadow Chancellor, Treasury; Twickenham, Liberal Democrat)
There is an obvious link between clause 35 on the use of statistical information and the confidentiality provisions of clause 36. The amendments that my colleague and I have tabled relate to the confidentiality provisions. We want doubly to ensure that there is no misuse, as provided in clause 35. The key point is to be aware of the overriding purpose of statistics. The right hon. Gentleman was absolutely right: both professionally and in our current jobs, we all encounter examples of pettiness and restrictiveness in the use of figures. There is often a box-ticking approach to regulation, which is not very helpful.
We need to focus on the central objective, which is to build public confidence—both corporate and individual—in statistics. Businesses will not collaborate in giving accurate and honest information if they have any suspicion that their data will be made available to their competitors, unwittingly or otherwise. Similarly, individuals are not likely to contribute to statistical surveys, particularly in highly sensitive areas like the census, if there is any suspicion that data might be misused. We therefore take the view shared by the Royal Statistical Society and others that the confidentiality provisions of the Bill need to be sharpened, although the Bill clearly provides for some protection. We have suggested various routes in the group of amendments.
A new clause, which is brief and to the point, says that personal data disclosed to the board or National Statistician is subject to the provisions of clause 36. In other words, the use of data as described in clause 35 is subject to all the penalties and protections of clause 36. Clause 36 should be sharpened and clarified. We have suggested two amendments, amendments Nos. 118and 119, which are designed to achieve that aim, particularly via a chapeau, a phrase, that covers various groups of people by saying:
“Personal information...shall not be used except in relation to the exercise of any of the Board’s and National Statistician’s functions.”
The next amendment then defines the groups of individuals to which it would be legitimate and appropriate to release statistical information.
Like the Government, our broad objective is to show that confidentiality is protected, for public confidence reasons. There is a view, certainly in the statistical community, that the Bill could be stronger and clearer. That is why we have tabled our amendments.