No 10 'warned over crime figures' (UK knife crime statistics)

[davepc]

Statisticians warned officials at No 10 that controversial knife crime figures should not be released as they were "potentially inaccurate".

Details of e-mails released by the Public Administration Select Committee showed the figures were published despite warnings about their release.

An NHS official said their publication would suggest the government was merely "cherry picking" good news.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith apologised for the early release of information.

...

The row broke out in December when the head of the UK Statistics Authority accused No 10 of ignoring the wishes of statistics officials in releasing "premature and selective" figures relating to hospital admissions for knife wounds.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7926903.stm