Records of the Economics and Statistics Divisions, their predecessors and successors

Records relating to the economic and statistical analysis of UK trade and industry.

Registered files of the Economics and Statistics Divisions are in FV 15, FV 19, FV 27, FV 63, FV 84 and FV 91.

Records of the Business Statistics Office may be found in FV 53.

Records of the Economic Services Division are in FV 86.

Pamphlets of the Industrial Operations Unit are in

BT 182

Topics

Trade and commerce

There was a succession of economics and statistics divisions, starting with the Ministry of Technology (Mintech) in the 1960s. By February 1967, the Economics and Statistics Division (E) of Mintech had changed its name to the Economic and Statistical Analysis Division (ES). ES Division carried out a variety of economic and statistical functions for the Ministry, including the collection of statistical material, microeconomic analysis, techniques and criteria of appraisal and providing support for all parts of the Department engaged in quantitative work. In particular, ES3 provided staff to carry out studies of industries according to the needs of the industry divisions, including operational research. In 1969, with the demise of the Ministry of Power, work previously carried out in that Ministry's Statistics Division became the responsibility of Mintech.

In 1970, the ES Division was split into the Economics and Statistics A (ES/A) and Economics and Statistics B (ES/B) Divisions. The ES/B Division had three branches covering economic and statistical work in relation to certain industries. ES/B undertook industrial economic surveys of the manufacturing industry, in collaboration with technologists, for industry division, government industrial research establishments and research associations.

IWith the establishment of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in October 1970, that department inherited economics and statistics branches from both Mintech and the Board of Trade. Initially five Economics and Statistics (EcS) Divisions were established in the DTI. The first division came from the Board of Trade's Economic Services Division; the second from the Ministry of Technology's Economic and Statistical Analysis Division; and the remaining three much expanded from the Board's Statistics Division. Economics and Statistics Division 3 included the Industrial Operations Unit, while the Board of Trade's Census Office became the Business Statistics Office, responsible for the Censuses of Production and Distribution and the Register of Businesses.

The function of these divisions was to provide economic and statistical analysis, advice and briefings; to collect, process and supply statistical information, forecasts and special studies to assist in formulating economic and industrial policies; and to liaise with other departments, HM Treasury and universities on economic matters.

In June 1971 the divisions were reorganised from five into six divisions. One division dealt purely with economic matters, another purely with statistics, and the remaining four covered both topics. This six-divisional structure persisted until the abolition of DTI in 1974, after which the economics and statistics divisions largely transferred to the Department of Industry.

On 28 November 1980 it was announced that the Economics and Statistics Divisions, would by stages be reorganised into two Economics (Ec) Divisions and two Statistical (S) Divisions. This reorganisation was completed by 19 January 1981.