COMMUNITY STATISTICAL PROGRAMME 2008-2012
(15536/06)
Letter from Angela Eagle MP, Exchequer Secretary,
HM Treasury to the Chairman
I am writing to update you regarding the position
of the proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and
of the Council on the Community Statisitcal Programme 2008 to
2012,[84]
further to your letter to my predecessor John Healey MP, of 11
January 2007.[85]
The Community Statisitcal Programme has been
under discussion at the Council Working Party on Statistics. UK
officials, in alliance with other Member States, have secured
amendments to the Programme in line with UK policy on better regulation,
including a greater emphasis on the need to balance costs and
burdens of new statistical requirements, and the enshrinement
at both strategic and sector level within the Programme of the
sentiments expressed in the Commission Communication to the European
Parliament on the reduction of the response burden, simplification
and priority-setting in the field of Community Statistics.[86]
With regard to the Programme's legal base, you
enquire whether it is the view of the Government that Article
285 TEC enables the collection of statistics relating to the 3rd
Pillar. The Government is of the view that Article 285 TEC only
provides for the collection of statistics where necessary for
the performance of the activities of the Community under TEC.
This could cover crime related statistics insofar as such statistics
were required by the Community for the performance of its tasks
but would not cover the collection of crime statistics more generally
for the purpose of the Union's activities under the 3rd pillar.
UK officials have ensured that the extent of
crime statistical production is both explicit and appropriate,
through securing the additional text "in so far as necessary
for the performance of the activities of the Community" where
reference is made to statistics on crime and criminal justice
in the opening paragraph of the text of Title IV of the Programme.
I am now satisfied that the references to collection and production
of Community statistics on crime within the Statistical Work Programme
2008-2012 are in accordance with the Treaties.
5 July 2007
Letter from the Chairman to Angela Eagle
MP
Thank you for your letter of 5 July which was
considered by Sub-Committee E at its meeting of 25 July 2007.
We support the Government's position on the
legal base and welcome the insertion of a phrase linking crime
statistics collection under the Community Statistical Prgramme
to Community activities.
The Committee decided to clear the proposal
from scrutiny.
26 July 2007
84 COM (2006) 687 final. Back
85
Correspondence with Ministers, 30th Report of Session 2007-08,
HL Paper 184, p 263. Back
86
COM (2006) 693 final. Back
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