24 Jan 2012
MA criticises planned wellbeing measures
BY Pete Hayman
The Museums Association (MA) has raised concerns that proposed new indicators set to be used for measuring national and individual wellbeing will not consider cultural engagement.
MA policy head Maurice Davies has described the measures as "flawed" for failing to take into account participation in arts, culture and heritage, as well as sport or lifelong learning.
Data is to be gathered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which last year published details of the indicators it will use to gauge national wellbeing as part of a happiness index.
Starting next month, the findings will be published on a monthly basis. Categories are set to include relationships; health; what we do; where we live; personal finance; and education.
It is thought that the happiness index will be used to influence government policy in future, but the arts and heritage sector are unhappy that cultural engagement has been omitted.
Davies said: "The proposed new measures of national wellbeing are flawed because they don't include a measure of culture, heritage and arts - nor indeed of sport, lifelong learning and charitable giving.
"[The measures] present a partial picture of wellbeing that threatens to mislead policy makers and commentators."
Details: www.museumsassociation.org
Image: The new measures won't consider engagement with arts and heritage - Brendan Howard/shutterstock.com
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