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Official Statistics in the UK Innovations in Governance

Official Statistics in the UK Innovations in Governance. Mike Hughes Office for National Statistics 20 February 2009. Outline. Background to present system National Statistics System Legislation - the new approach. History. 1941 - Central Statistical Office (CSO)

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Official Statistics in the UK Innovations in Governance

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  1. Official Statistics in the UKInnovations in Governance Mike Hughes Office for National Statistics 20 February 2009

  2. Outline • Background to present system • National Statistics System • Legislation - the new approach

  3. History • 1941 - Central Statistical Office (CSO) • 1968 - Government Statistical Service (GSS) • 1996 - Office for National Statistics • 2000 - Launch of current National Statistics System • 2008 - Statistics Act

  4. Characteristics of ‘Statistics UK’ • Decentralised (GSS in 30+ departments) • Coordinated through NSI (= ONS) • ONS reported to Finance Ministry pre 2008 • Devolved ( 4 ‘UK’ Nations ) • European Union ( 27 ‘Other’ Nations ) • Global ( UN, IMF, World Bank ) • Largely non-statutory pre 2008

  5. Genesis of ReformsStatistics - part of the Political Process ? • Counting ‘problems’ ? • Unemployment • Crime • Release ‘problems’ ? • Pre-release ‘Spin’ • ‘Burying’ bad news

  6. Political statements • Labour Party Manifesto (1997) An independent national statistical service • Green Paper on Statistics Reform (1998) Tony Blair (the then PM)…………. • Government is pledged to clean up and modernise politics. We want a new relationship between Government and citizens, based on openness and trust

  7. National Statistics System 2000 • New post- National Statistician • New body - Statistics Commission • Code of Practice • Quality kite mark and new emphasis on quality with Quality Reviews • Greater accountability (Work Programme and Annual Report) • Framework Document • New beginning ?

  8. The phrase ‘National Statistics’ • Not an organisation • Not a group of people A designated set of statistical products which:- • are produced in accordance with Framework for National Statistics • meet standards set in National Statistics Code of Practice • are subject to regular Quality Reviews

  9. UK Official Statistics - 4 Types NNNS Non-GSS Statistics NN National Statistics Other GSS Statistics ONS Statistics

  10. Role of Statistics Commission • Independent ‘Watchdog’ • Represented suppliers and users • Advised Ministers of concerns about quality • Commented on Work Programme, Code of Practice, Quality Reviews • Operated with total transparency • One-off Task - Review need for statistical legislation

  11. Strengths of previous system • More rigorous external oversight (via Statistics Commission) and greater internal focus on: • Professional standards • Quality Management • Relevance and Customer Service • Confidentiality • Joined-up Government • Transparency and Consultation

  12. Fault Lines in previous system • Ministerial control of ‘Scope’ • Confusion between ‘National Statistics’ and ‘Other Statistics’ • Pre-release Access • Lack of funding and commitment • Lack of accountability to National Statistician • Lack of enforcement powers • Inconsistent compliance with Code • Low impact on public trust + confidence

  13. Does statistical legislation provide the answer ?

  14. Public Trust in Official Statistics • Only 17 percent (1 person in 5) believe that UK official statistics are produced without political interference • 60 percent (3 persons in 5) think that the government uses official statistics dishonestly • Most common reasons for not trusting official statistics are: • They contradict people’s personal experience • They are perceived to be open to manipulation

  15. Confidence in Official Statistics However….. More confidence in: • Quality / Methodology of official statistics • The Office for National Statistics itself Conclusion…….. • Production/Outputs = Good quality • Delivery and Presentation = Untrustworthy

  16. Models for legislation Model 1 Give Commission statutory powers reporting to Parliament Model 2 Give Commission statutory powers and make ONS non-ministerial department, both reporting to Parliament Model 3 Give ONS statutory powers as a non-ministerial department, reporting to Parliament subsuming Commission role

  17. STATISTICS ACT: MAIN FEATURES • New body - The UK Statistics Authority • Authority independent of Ministers – directly accountable to Parliament • Creates new Executive Office (= ONS) • Abolishes the Statistics Commission – functions subsumed within the Authority • Statutory Code of Practice and new Assessment function • Covers United Kingdom

  18. THE UK STATISTICS AUTHORITY • Established as ‘Non-Ministerial Department’. Replaces oversight role Treasury Ministers had over ONS • Authority’s Board has majority of Non-Executives with a Non-Executive Chair • Executives on the Board comprise the National Statistician and two others • Staff within the Authority and ‘Executive Office’ to be civil servants • Special funding arrangements – 5 year budget

  19. THE STATISTICS AUTHORITY OBJECTIVE Statutory objective To promote and safeguard the production of statistics that serve the public good. By promoting and safeguarding: • the quality of official statistics • good statistical practice • the comprehensiveness of official statistics

  20. PRE-RELEASE ACCESS • Excluded from Code of Practice, but…….. • The Government has set out new rules and principles relating to the granting of pre-release access to statistics - in secondary legislation • Scottish, Welsh or NI Ministers can create their own rules • Compliance with rules subject to assessment by the UK Statistics Authority

  21. STRENGTHS OF LEGISLATION • 2000 Reforms embedded in Legislation • Ministerial Role transferred to Authority • Authority’s UK-wide remit • Statutory Code • Statutory accreditation of statistics • Opportunities for Data Sharing

  22. ISSUES • Ministerial control over ‘Pre-Release practices’ • Lack of clear separation between scrutiny and executive (production) roles • Board has responsibility for, but no authority over, official statistics in other Government bodies • Definition of “Official Statistics” • Weak arrangements for UK co-ordination

  23. Thank you

  24. THE NATIONAL STATISTICIAN The National Statistician’s statutory role comprises advisory and executive functions • the Government’s (Authority’s) Chief Advisor on statistical matters • the Chief Executive of the Authority • the establishment of an Executive Office (i.e. the ONS-as-is). • may not exercise the Authority’s functions relating to Assessment and the Code of Practice

  25. ASSESSMENT FUNCTION Authority has particular legal duties to: • independently set professional standards in a new Code of Practice • ‘assess’ all National Statistics against those standards (both current NS and additional statistics nominated by Ministers) • prepare and publish a work programme for the re-assessment of National Statistics • prepare and publish a Statement of Principles of Assessment

  26. Non-Legislative Provision A central ‘Publication Hub’ A web portal through which all National Statistics are published under the new system, thereby separating statistical release from political or policy comment Combined with: • Release Calendar • Catalogue of all statistical releases • Media Briefing Facility

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