Roadtown, Tortola - Preparations are now underway for a Household Expenditure Survey to be conducted in the Territory.  The survey which was approved by Cabinet in December 2007 will begin in April of this year.

Government has already contracted the services of a survey and price indices expert, Mr. Bryan Boxill who will work in collaboration with the Development Planning Unit (DPU) to conduct the year-long survey.  Mr. Boxill is currently working on the questionnaire design, sample frame and survey methodology.

The survey will comprise a sample of private households in the Territory and will entail the collection of information on income and expenditure on goods and services as well as socio-economic characteristics including the composition, size and the occupations of the members of the household.  

Selected households will be required to complete household specific and individual specific questionnaires as well as maintain a diary of expenditure on goods and services purchased on a daily or weekly basis.   

Acting Director DPU Ms. Patlian Johnson explained that the “primary purpose of the survey is to collect information on the spending patterns of households, re-base the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is used in the calculation of the inflation rate, as well as provide information for the compilation of the Gross Domestic Product, which is a measure of all goods and services produced in the local economy.”

Appealing to the public for full cooperation during the conduct of the survey, Ms. Johnson gave assurances that “the information collected is done so in accordance with the Statistical Act, 2005 and will only be used for the purposes outlined.”

“When the survey is concluded in March 2010, the Territory will have a new base for the CPI and a better understanding of consumer spending patterns” she told the Department of Information and Public Relations. 

The last Household Expenditure Survey was conducted in 1994 -1995. The Development Planning Unit is responsible for acquiring and analysing statistics to facilitate economic planning and analysis. The unit functions under the umbrella of the Premier’s Office.