Statistics and Registration Service Bill

My Lords, we are pleased that the Government have decided to accept the spirit of the amendments passed on this issue. During the discussions of this Bill in your Lordships’ House, we have sought to persuade the Government that four issues of principle needed addressing satisfactorily in the Bill, of which this is one. On two other of these issues—the first to do with the nature of official versus national statistics and the second to do with staff, members of the board and their duties—the Government have, very sensibly in our view, followed the line that we have taken, and the Bill now reflects that. We shall come in a minute to the remaining area in which the Government have so far not been persuaded. However, we are optimistic that, having got three out of four proposals across so far, the Minister’s powers of persuasion will carry the day when he goes back to his colleagues after the conclusion of this afternoon’s business.