Availability Of Up-To-date Statistical Information

EDM number 229 in 1996-97, proposed by DN Campbell-Savours on 21/11/1996.

That this House notes the very considerable difficulties being encountered by honourable Members in obtaining statistical information central in considering issues of convergence towards a single currency; notes that it has not been possible so far to obtain comparable statistical information on departmental expenditure as a percentage of GDP across the member countries of the European Union for 1994 and later years and for many countries for a number of years prior to 1994; notes that this information is not available to the statistical section of the Library, nor to the office of the European Commission in London, nor to Eurostat; notes with surprise and deep concern that even individual departments, including the Department of Social Security in response to written Parliamentary questions, do not have this most basic of information available to them or if they have it they are not prepared to make it available publicly; questions how it can be possible for British ministers and officials to begin to formulate policy on issues of convergence without the most basic information on levels and patterns of expenditure in government departments in other member states; questions how in these conditions it is possible to conduct anything like an informed debate on convergence towards a single currency without accurate and up-to-date statistical information; and believes that this culture of insularity is deeply unhealthy and contributes to a level of public debate on European issues in Britain which is conducted largely on the basis of ignorance and zenophobia.

This motion has been signed by a total of 26 MPs.