Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 1992, publiée 79ème session CIT (1992)

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report as well as the observations of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) communicated in a letter dated 13 January 1992.

Article 3 of the Convention. Further to its previous request, the Committee notes the Government's explanations of the manner in which the employers' and workers' organisations are or would be consulted in designing or revising the concepts, definitions and methodology with regard to the statistics referred to in Articles 14 and 15 of the Convention. It however notes the Government's indication that the interdepartmental committee which considers and approves changes in concepts, definitions and methodology for the Family Expenditure Survey (FES) statistics (covered by Article 13) does not contain representatives of these organisations, although they are represented on the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee which uses the FES data. Please indicate whether the latter committee as a user is consulted in designing or revising the concepts, definitions and methodology for FES statistics.

Besides, the Committee notes with interest that following the conference of the independent Statistics Users' Council, a Labour Market Statistics Users' Group (LMSUG) was set up, and that this provides a further channel for consultation with all users of statistics, including the employers' and workers' organisations. The first issue of this Users' Group's newsletter was communicated with the observation of the TUC, which welcomes this improvement in the arrangements for consultation about statistics. The Committee requests the Government to provide in its future reports information on the outcome of the activities of the LMSUG when it concerns the application of Article 3 of the Convention.

The Committee is also addressing a direct request to the Government concerning certain points.