MEASURING QUALITY OF LIFE

Early day motion 731, tabled 17 January 2008 by Jo Swinson (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 54 members.

That this House notes the undertaking of a study by the French government to establish how quality of life indicators can contribute to new methods of economic calculation; further notes the participation in the study of eminent scholars Joseph Stiglitz and Amartya Sen; commends the French government for seeking a more sophisticated method of measuring well-being than straightforward GDP; notes with concern the Answer given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 29th November 2007, Official Report, column 428, on well-being, which failed to acknowledge the need for improved measurements of quality of life, despite the stated aim of the Treasury being to `raise the rate of sustainable growth and to achieve rising prosperity and a better quality of life'; further notes that for the last 50 years material wealth in the UK has increased dramatically but surveys show that expressed levels of well-being, or happiness, have remained static; and urges the Government to both endorse and participate in the French study, with the aim of improving the well-being, not simply the wealth, of all people in the UK.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 37, Labour 10, Conservative 3, DUP 1, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.