Statistics and Registration Service Bill

The Minister is clear on it, but the Bill is not. It does not state that staff working on the assessment side should not be in the executive office. Indeed, a casual reading implies quite the reverse. I fear that the Minister has also not explained how the National Statistician can be the chief executive of the board when there are supposed to be two sets of staff and the National Statistician is the chief executive of only one set. This takes us back to an aspect of the confusion lying at the heart of the Bill. I said when I introduced these amendments that they are probing in nature, and therefore I shall take them no further today. I do not believe that the Minister has adequately explained how these two streams of activity are to exist within the new Statistics Board, and I hope that he will choose to reflect on that before we come to the Report stage. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendment No. 164 not moved.] Clause 29 agreed to. Clause 30 [Head of Assessment]: On Question, Whether Clause 30 shall stand part of the Bill?