Main / Press releases and speeches / Press releases / Working group proposes reforms to the Statistics Act and amendme..
A working group was set up to examine ways to enhance efficiency in statistical services and to introduce relocation measures. The working group proposes overhauling the Statistics Act and assessing the need for amendments to the Act and Decree on Criteria for Charges Payable to the State. Other proposals by the working group involve revamping data use and developing local government statistics, environmental statistics and natural resources statistics in stages. The proposals also include long-term development plans for relocation, which would be tied into other national development strategies in follow-up plans. The working group submitted its final report to Ms Mari Kiviniemi, Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Tuesday 2 March 2010.
The working group examined ways to better reconcile statistical services to meet the demands of both the national and international environment. One of the core national challenges relates to the advancement of innovation policy. The proposals for greater efficiency and relocation arrangements in statistical services both build on strengthening national competitiveness. Various measures are proposed with a view to better exploiting data warehouses created using public funding. The main fields for improvement put forward by the working group consist of local government statistics, environmental statistics and natural resources statistics.
Suggestions related to relocation will require further examination and investment. It is proposed that the development of harmonized data collection and statistics in local governments be appraised in tandem with the planned introduction of a research centre for service innovations in Tampere. Reorganising statistics related to natural resources and the environment, in turn, is closely linked to restructuring the national strategy on natural resources. One suggested option would be to assess whether the development of statistical services related to natural resources and the environment could be coupled to the proposed reorganisation of sectoral research in Oulu.
This working group?s one year mandate terminated at the end of February.
Inquiries:
- Ministry of Finance: Mr Juhani Turunen, Permanent Under-Secretary, tel. 358 40 509 5600
- Statistics Finland: Ms Heli Jeskanen-Sundström, Director General, 358 9 1734 2565
Ministry of Finance P.O BOX 28 FIN-00023 GOVERNMENT Tel. +358 9 160 01 E-mail: valtiovarainministerio@vm.fi