central enquiries on Scottish Office statistics should be addressed to:

David Burman
Central Statistics Unit
The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department
Area 1-B, Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH EH6 6QQ
Telephone: (0131) 244 0329, Fax: (0131) 244 0354
e-mail david.burman@so013.scotoff.gov.uk

Advice on specific areas of Scottish Office statistical work can be obtained from staff at the telephone numbers given below:

Scottish Office Statistics contacts

Schools - qualifications (0131) 244 0313

Schools - pupils and teachers (0131) 244 0309

School audit (0131) 244 0754

Further education (0131) 244 0327

Higher education (0131) 244 0299

Training (0131) 244 0322

Economic, Business & Labour market (0141) 242 5446

Investment assistance (0141) 242 5625

Local government finance (0131) 244 7033

Environment, planning & local government staffing (0131) 244 0445

Housing (0131) 244 7236

Transport (0131) 244 7255

Health (0131) 244 3432

Social work (0131) 244 3779

Scottish Office personnel (0131) 244 3926

Agricultural census and labour force (0131) 244 6150

Fisheries (0131) 244 6441

Courts and law (0131) 244 2227

Recorded crime and prisons (0131) 244 2225

Other Related Statistics Units

Forestry Commission (0131) 314 6337

Higher Education Funding (SHEFC) (0131) 313 6575

General Register Office for Scotland* - Vital statistics and publications - Population statistics, census statistics or digital boundary products (0131) 314 4243 or (0131) 314 4254

Office for National Statistics - Social Statistics - Economic Statistics - Business Statistics (0171) 533 6262 or (0171) 533 6363 or (01633) 812 973

Current staff names, e-mail addresses and the bulletins listed below can be found on the Scottish Office Web site at www.scotland.gov.uk. Further information on the General Register Office for Scotland is available on the website www.open.gov.uk/gros/groshome.htm. Further information on the Office for National Statistics is available on the website www.ons.gov.uk

Additional copies of this bulletin may be purchased from Scottish Office Publication Sales, The Stationery Office Bookshop, 71 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9AZ Telephone: (0131) 622 7050, Fax: (0131) 622 7017. Cheques should be made payable to 'The Stationery Office Limited'.

Complaints and suggestions

If you are not satisfied with our service, please write to the Chief Statistician, Mr Colin MacLean, Room 1-A75, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ; Telephone: (0131) 244 0302; e-mail colin.maclean@so013.scotoff.gov.uk. We also welcome any comments or suggestions that would help us to improve our standards of service.

THE SCOTTISH OFFICE STATISTICAL SERVICES

Our roles and aims

Our role is to provide Parliament, government and the wider community with statistical information, analysis and advice on most aspects of Scottish life. This information is provided mainly through statistical bulletins and is used to improve decision-making, stimulate research and inform debate. We aim to provide an authoritative and impartial picture of society and a window on the work and performance of government, which allows the impact of government policies and actions to be assessed.

Confidentiality : Confidential data from statistical enquiries is handled in accordance with the Government Statistical Service Code of Practice and with the Data Protection Act.

Burden : Information is not collected unnecessarily, but only when there is a clearly identified need. Only the minimum amount of information is collected to meet this need.

Review of data collection : Data collection systems are reviewed regularly to ensure that the information is still required and that the collection system is operating cost-effectively. These reviews are conducted in conjunction with both users and suppliers of the data.

Liaison : Close liaison is maintained with major suppliers of statistical data e.g. local authorities, by a system of liaison committees.

Feedback : Arrangements for major data suppliers to have access to the data (subject to confidentiality constraints) at no, or reduced, cost, is handled by the liaison committees or by direct consultation.

Integrity : We ensure the statistics produced are not presented in a way which is misleading. We also comprehensively check the data at all stages to safeguard standards of accuracy.

Openness : We are completely open about our methods of collecting and processing data and about the methodology used in published analyses.

Guides : We produce regularly updated information leaflets on The Scottish Office statistical publications. Copies are normally distributed with statistical bulletins or can be obtained from the address for general enquiries (see back page).

Release : We will provide on request all available statistical information, subject to confidentiality, reliability, pre-publication embargoes, and on sufficient resources being available to carry out the work involved. An appropriate charge may be made.

Timeliness : We guarantee that requests or correspondence will be given either a substantive reply within 7 working days or an acknowledgement to be followed up (by a stated date) with a substantive reply.

THE GOVERNMENT STATISTICAL SERVICE

The Government Statistical Service (GSS) is the major provider of official statistics in the United Kingdom and comprises statistical staff in many government departments and agencies working in partnership. Together they provide a quality statistical service to a wide range of users. The GSS mission is

"to provide Parliament, government and the wider community with the statistical information, analysis and advice needed to improve decision making, stimulate research and inform debate"

Each department produces its own statistical publications, and also contributes to GSS compendia publications and databases. The Scottish Office Statistical Services are part of the GSS, and are committed to adhering to its Code of Practice and high standards. We work with GSS colleagues across government to provide coherent and consistent official statistics.

GSS publications are grouped under the following broad subject headings : Compendia & Reference / Social & Welfare / Health & Care / The Economy / Commerce / Energy & Industry / Labour Market / Population & Migration / Education & Training / Crime & Justice / Environment / Transport, Travel & Tourism / Agriculture & Fishing / Other Government. This publication belongs to the Environment section.

ISSN 0264 1143 Price £2.00

ISBN 0 748 66028 3

Crown Copyright 1998