Its new internet-based service, Neighbourhood Statistics: www.statistics.gov.uk/neighbou rhood, provides information for thousands of areas and districts across the UK and aids public services in planning to meet the needs of local residents.

Information is available on the relation between social deprivation and crime, on the provision of housing, on caring for the elderly or on ensuring that the needs of school children or minority groups are met.

Neighbourhood Statistics is a joint initiative involving central Government departments, the devolved administrations, local government and the wider public service - for the benefit of all these bodies.

The new service will be developed in partnership with the many organisations that collect data which can inform the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal.

Users will include local communities who want to draw attention to an issue; local authorities which manage key public services at county or district level; Government administrations or departments which manage local services directly; health authorities and other bodies concerned with the determinants of public health; police and fire authorities who have special areas of responsibility; other agencies and voluntary bodies which provide services to communities or groups within them; professionals and commentators who analyse social data to inform or assess policy; businesses that want to know about potential demand for various commercial services; and citizens who want to see and understand what is happening in their neighbourhoods, influence policy or gauge progress against the objectives and goals to which services work.