Population flows 'miscounted'

An influential parliamentary committee has called for a major overhaul of local population statistics "as an immediate priority".

The Treasury sub-committee released a report last week urging the Statistics Authority to provide more accurate information on local population flows and the effects of internal migration.

The report, Counting the Population, recommends the data provided should include details of short-term migrants and the day-time populations of local authorities rather than just residential figures. 

"Reliable population estimates are fundamental for the allocation of funding for public services," said sub-committee chair Michael Fallon (Con).

"We heard evidence that local authorities, including Westminster City Council, Slough LBC and Manchester City Council, have experienced difficulties where inaccurate statistical data resulted in
reduced allocation of funds."

The report calls for the Statistics Authority to "develop the government's administrative databases to provide a more accurate and cost-effective method of monitoring".

Slough BC's strategic director of finance and policy, Andrew Blake-Herbert, said at the last census Slough had the ninth fastest growing population in the country, but the mid-year estimates initially showed the area having the second fastest declining population.

"The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will not use the child benefit data for the number of children in an area because it acknowledges it is a huge under-count," he said. "There are actually more children receiving benefits in Slough than the ONS currently says live in Slough."