Roadtown, Tortola - The Development Planning Unit (DPU) is in the final stages of preparation for the start of the Household Expenditure Survey (HES).

Acting Director of the DPU, Ms. Patlian Johnson, told the Department of Information and Public Relations, the start date has been revised and preparations are progressing smoothly.

“The DPU has now scheduled the start of the Household Expenditure Survey for the third week in May. In preparation for that, we are now finalising the questionnaires and the survey sample,” Ms. Johnson said.

The survey, approved by Cabinet in December 2007, 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.   

“The DPU is soliciting the full cooperation of the selected households to facilitate the completion of the survey,” Ms. Johnson stated, adding that “the information collected will be extremely helpful to all, especially those who request statistics from the department on a regular basis.”

The Acting DPU Director also provided assurances of confidentiality.  “Be assured that the information collected will be treated with the strictest confidence, in accordance with the Statistical Act, 2005 and will only be used for the purposes outlined,” she stated.

Ms. Johnson reiterated that when the survey is completed in 2010, “the Territory will have a better understanding of consumer spending patterns as well as a new base for the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is used in the calculation of the inflation rate and the compilation of the Gross Domestic Product, which is a measure of all goods and services produced in the local economy.”

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.