Statistics and Registration Service Bill

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have taken part in this short debate. The noble Lord, Lord Davies of Oldham, said that he did not think the Bill should be overly prescriptive. I do not think that the amendments that are the subject of the Motion are overly prescriptive. The issue is simple: should the Bill be clear about the responsibilities of the board that are important to its role in future? As my noble friend Lord Jenkin noted, that concerns its role in relation to trust. There have been issues about the release of statistics that have engendered a loss of trust. That is why we believe that the Bill should be absolutely clear about what the board is expected to do in those areas. I beg to test the opinion of the House. On Question, Whether the said Motion (No. B1) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 143; Not-Contents, 144. On Question, Motion B agreed to. 12: Page 5, line 13, at end insert- "(1A) The Code shall include rules and principles relating to the access to official statistics in their final form prior to publication ("pre-release access"), including- (a) the circumstances in which, or descriptions of statistics in relation to which, pre-release access may or may not be granted; (b) the persons, or descriptions of persons, to whom pre-release access may be granted; (c) the period, or maximum period, during which pre-release access may be granted; and (d) the conditions subject to which pre-release access may be granted. (1B) The Code may make different provision for different cases." 15: Leave out Clause 11 The Commons disagree to Lords Amendments Nos. 12, 13, 15, 20, 67 to 70 and 72 for the following Reason and propose Amendments Nos. 15B and 15C to Clause 11 - 12A: Because the rules and principles relating to pre-release access are more appropriately provided for by order made by Ministers or the devolved administrations, subject to scrutiny by affirmative resolution procedure, than by the Statistics Board. 15B: Page 5, line 22, leave out "National" 15C: Page 6, line 4, leave out "Treasury" and insert "Minister for the Cabinet Office"