The use of administrative data sources (experience and challenges)

1. The use of administrative data sources (experience and challenges) Jan Fischer IAOS Conference, Shanghai, 14-16 October, 2008

2. Content Administrative data for statistical purposes B. Activities of the CZSO in the field of using administrative data for statistical purposesC. Conclusions

3. A. Administrative data for statistical purposes

4. What are administrative sources? „Administrative sources are sources containing information that is not primarily collected for statistical purposes“. (EUROSTAT, BR Manual Recommendation, Ch 20). • In statistics administrative sources are used mainly for: • replacement of data collection • reduction of sample design • editing and imputation of variables • improvement of sample design and imputation • data checking/verification and estimation • improving data quality

5. Incentives for using administrative data Demands on high quality statistics New phenomena and stakeholders Stable / Decreasing budget of NSIs Increasing burden on respondents Declining response rate Substitution of census surveys Development of IT and matching meth. Improvement of data protection Growing interest of NSIs in using administrative sources

6. Pros and cons of administrative sources • PROS: • usually inexpensive • good coverage • reduction of response burden (costs) CONS: • initial investments • legal obstacles • changes of concepts, definitions, classifications

7. B. CZSO activities in the field of using administrative data for statistical purposes

8. History • Transformation process – implementation of statistical requirements via extension of statistical surveys • End of the 90s – growing interest in using administrative data due to: • increasing number of SMEs, • replacement of censuses by samples, • introduction of estimation techniques, • non-response, • necessity to fully harmonise business statistics with EU • declining quality of data • 3. First experience – using administrative data for updating of Business Register

9. Legal provisions Act no. 89/1995 Coll., on the state statistical service § 9. The use of administrative data sources Authorities performing the State Statistical Service use data acquired or collected by Ministries and other administrative authorities under special Acts. Ministries and other administrative authorities are bound to provide them with the necessary data on their request on time and free of charge unless otherwise stated by this Act. Bilateral agreements with administrators (e.g. Ministry of Finance, General Directorate of Customs, Ministry of Environment, territorial governments etc.)

10. Goal: Optimizing respondents’ burden, keeping up quality of outputs • Sub-goal: Raising share of using administrative data sources. Strategies and means: • Using administrative data sources instead of data collection or for verification of data from surveys • Using administrative data sources as a tool for enhancing quality of statistical registers • Standardizing contents of nomenclatures including their links • Guiding public administration towards administrative registers that can be used for statistical purposes • Co-operating with offices in charge of administrative data sources to increase relevancy (coherence) of administrative data for statistical purposes Mission, vision, strategic goals and sub-goals

11. Goal: Using of new administrative data from the Ministry of Finance • analysis of using VAT declarations data for STS • analysis of using VAT declarations for external trade • analysis of using income tax declarations and accounting statements for SBS, STS, external trade, Business Register and sample design • preparation of specifications for data transmission and processing • using Ministry of Finance data as important part of the philosophy and architecture of the new Statistical Information System (SIS Model 2008) Priority task for 2008

12. Modernisation of Statistical System • Main objectives (as regards using of administrative sources): • integration of statistical methods and tools, simplification ofstatistical survey system and increase of the share of administrative data used • building new statistical information system with the task to minimize statistical surveys by using already known data • examination of available administrative data becomes an integral part of statistical projects preparation • SIS subsystems „inputs“ and „registers“ are the main blocks in the overall architecture of the system that concentrate on the treatment of administrative data sources

13. Modernization of Statistical System (cont.)

14. C. Conclusions

15. Conclusions • using of administrative data has significant influence on reduction of response burden and data quality, verification and estimations (especially in combination with statistical surveys) • permanent attention must be paid to the quality of administrative sources, their checking and analysis, comparisons with statistical data observing the consistency of inputs and outputs (problems with customs data in CR)

16. Conclusions (cont.) • integration in statistical information systems allows more effective use of administrative data in statistical production • co-operation with other parts of the state administration and universities is a necessary condition for successful use of administrative data • building anew “culture” in our work and better knowledge of data matching methods and their use are important factors of further improvement in the field of the use of administrative data

17. Thank you for your attention Questions?