ICM Questions Fitness of MRS Code after Poll Rap

Pollster ICM breached the Market Research Society's (MRS) Code of Conduct by asking a leading question in a health poll conducted for BBC Wales, the Society has confirmed after a complaint by the Welsh Government.

During a poll about funding, ICM stated / asked: 'In England, NHS money is ring-fenced for the Cancer Drugs Fund. In Wales, funding for cancer drugs is treated in the same way as funding drugs for all other illnesses. Do you believe money for cancer should be protected?' The MRS decided that the wording had indeed led participants to a particular viewpoint, according to a report on www.bbc.co.uk .

ICM says the question was 'entirely defensible and structured in exactly the same way as questions used by all polling companies all the time', and company Director Martin Boon went further, suggesting that the result 'raises questions as to the fitness and purpose of the MRS code of conduct in the context of public and political opinion polling, as the code makes no distinction between genuine concerns about question wording versus those driven by political motivation'.

A spokesman for the Welsh government said it was 'pleased that the complaint had been upheld by the MRS', adding 'It is disappointing that ICM and BBC Wales dealt with a public policy issue of such sensitivity in the way this investigation finding has revealed'.

Both the BBC and Britain's pollsters are the subject of official scrutiny at present: Tory MP John Whittingdale is conducting a 'root and branch' review of the Corporation after accusations of bias in its general election coverage, whilst the MRS and British Polling Council are to publish next year results of a review looking at reasons why UK pollsters underestimated or completely missed the Conservative lead over Labour during the run-up to the same election.