UK Statistics Authority

Last updated
UK Statistics Authority
Scottish Gaelic: Am Bòrd an Staitistig
Welsh: Y Bwrdd Ystadegau
UK Statistics Authority logo.svg
Agency overview
Formed1 April 2008;16 years ago (2008-04-01)
JurisdictionUnited Kingdom
HeadquartersFry Building 1st Floor, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF [1]
Employees3685 [2]
Annual budget £256m (2018) [2]
Minister responsible
Agency executives
Parent department Cabinet Office
Child agency
Website statisticsauthority.gov.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The UK Statistics Authority (UKSA, Welsh : Awdurdod Ystadegau'r DU) is a non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for oversight of the Office for National Statistics, maintaining a national code of practice for official statistics, and accrediting statistics that comply with the Code as National Statistics. UKSA was established on 1 April 2008 by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, and is directly accountable to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Contents

Background

Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced on 28 November 2005, that the government intended to publish plans in early 2006 to legislate to render the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the statistics it generates independent of government on a model based on the independence of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England. This was originally a 1997 Labour Party manifesto commitment and was also the policy of the Liberal Democrat and Conservative parties. Such independence was also sought by the Royal Statistical Society and the Statistics Commission. The National Statistician, who is the chief executive of the ONS, would be directly accountable to Parliament through a widely constituted independent governing Statistics Board. The ONS would be a non-ministerial government department so that the staff, including the Director, would remain as civil servants but without being under direct ministerial control. The National Statistician at the time, Karen Dunnell, stated that the legislation would help improve public trust in official statistics although the ONS already acts independently according to its own published guidelines, the National Statistics Code of Practice, which sets out the key principles and standards that official statisticians, including those in other parts of the Government Statistical Service, are expected to follow and uphold.

The details of the plans for independence were considered in Parliament during the 2006/2007 session and resulted in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. In July 2007, Sir Michael Scholar was nominated by the government to be the three-day-a-week non-executive chairman of the Statistics Board which, to re-establish faith in the integrity of government statistics, has statutory responsibility for oversight of UK government statistics and of the Office for National Statistics. It also has a duty to assess all UK government statistics. Following Gordon Brown's later announcement on his 2007 appointment as Prime Minister of new constitutional arrangements for public appointments, Sir Michael also became, on 18 July, the first such nominee to appear before the House of Commons Treasury Committee and to have his nomination subject to confirmation by the House. On 7 February 2008, following the first meeting of the shadow board, it was announced that the body would be known as the UK Statistics Authority.

UKSA was established on 1 April 2008 by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, and is directly accountable to the Parliament of the United Kingdom. [3] [4] [5] It reports to Parliament through the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Functions

Formally, the UK Statistics Authority has two main functions: a production arm – the Office for National Statistics – and a regulatory arm – the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). The board has established two main committees, as well as a remuneration committee. The regulation committee oversees the work of the OSR, and has a delegated function to approve the formal assessments of official statistics; and the audit and risk committee monitors strategic risks and has independent external members.[ citation needed ]

Office for National Statistics

The ONS is responsible for collecting, analysing and distributing statistical information about the UK's economy, society and population. It replaces the role previously performed by HM Treasury ministers. [6]

Office for Statistics Regulation

The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) performs independent monitoring of official statistics, including assessment of the coverage, completeness and usefulness of statistics in particular areas. The OSR is also responsible for maintaining a Code of Practice for Official Statistics, [7] and accrediting Code-compliant statistics as 'National Statistics'. [8] However, the chair can also act to comment on perceived misuse of official statistics by persons responsible or accountable for them. The assessment function has an operational role of producing reports on code compliance of specific sets of national statistics, and also a role making more strategic recommendations for the improvement of statistical outputs, in terms of both the presentation and coverage of official statistics as well as monitoring public trust in government statistics. [9]

The UKSA has reported on the need to improve commentary supporting the release of official statistics, and the procedures and extent of pre-release access to official statistics by government ministers. [10] The authority has also produced reports on the impact of cuts to specific statistical activity, such as the citizenship survey, especially where these changes affect users in other bodies. Other reports focus on statistics relating to a particular sector such as health and charities both of which have relevant data collected by more than one government body. A specific stream of work has been on user engagement, identifying the uses of official statistics and the extent to which the needs of users are taken into account by producers. [11]

Independent reviews

In 2023 a review of governance led by Prof Denise Lievesley was announced as part of the cycle of reviews of independent public bodies. [12] Her report was published in 2024, having followed a full review process, including an independent challenge panel comprising Prof Sir John Curtice, Prof Guy Nason and Dr Ben Warner among others.

Since it was formed in 2008, the UKSA has also been the subject of a number of reviews in respect of technical matters: in 2015 economic statistics [13] (led by Prof Sir Charles Bean) and in 2016 methodology [14] (led by Dr Andrew Garrett).

Current board members

MemberCurrent rôleStarted
Sir Robert Chote Chair1 June 2022 [15]
Sian JonesDeputy Chair1 July 2016 [16]
Dr. Jacob AbboudNon-executive member13 February 2023
Prof. Sir John Aston Non-executive member1 July 2021 [17]
Nora NanayakkaraNon-executive member1 July 2016 [16]
Prof. Dame Carol Propper Non-executive member13 February 2023
Prof. Sir David Spiegelhalter Non-executive member27 May 2020 [18]
Penny YoungNon-executive member13 February 2023

Ex officio executive members

As well as the nine non-executive members of the Board, three civil servants serve as executive members as a part of their jobs:

The other three Deputy National Statisticians normally attend meetings of the board but are formally not members: [20]

Former board members [20]

MemberRoleStartedEnd
Richard DobbsNon-Executive Director27 May 202026 May 2023
Prof. Jonathan Haskel Non-Executive Director1 February 20161 February 2023
Helen Boaden Non-Executive Director1 June 201931 December 2022
Prof. Anne Trefethen Non-Executive Director1 June 201831 December 2022
Sir David Norgrove ChairApril 201731 March 2022
Prof. David Hand Non-Executive Director1 April 201330 June 2021
Prof. Sir Adrian Smith Non-Executive Director1 September 201231 March 2020
1 April 20081 September 2008
Prof. Sir Ian Diamond Non-Executive Director1 June 20185 August 2019
Dr David LevyNon-Executive Director1 August 201230 May 2019
Dame Colette Bowe Non-Executive Director1 April 200831 March 2018
Dame Moira Gibb Non-Executive Director1 February 200831 January 2018
Sir Andrew Dilnot Chair1 April 201231 March 2017
Dame Carolyn Fairbairn Non-Executive Director1 April 201330 September 2015
Professor David Rhind Deputy Chair (Statistics System)1 July 201230 June 2015
Mr Partha DasguptaNon-Executive Director1 April 200830 June 2014
Sir Jon Shortridge Non-Executive Director1 February 201030 October 2012
Lord (David) Rowe-Beddoe Deputy Chair (ONS)1 April 200831 August 2012
Sir Michael Scholar Chair1 April 200831 March 2012
Professor Sir Roger Jowell Deputy Chair (Statistics System)11 November 200826 December 2011
Professor Stephen Nickell Non-Executive Director1 April 200831 October 2010
Sir Alan Langlands Non-Executive Director1 April 200812 April 2009

Related Research Articles

In the United Kingdom, non-departmental public body (NDPB) is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, the Scottish Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive to public sector organisations that have a role in the process of national government but are not part of a government department. NDPBs carry out their work largely independently from ministers and are accountable to the public through Parliament; however, ministers are responsible for the independence, effectiveness, and efficiency of non-departmental public bodies in their portfolio.

The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the UK Parliament.

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, is a non-departmental public body (NDPB), and is the largest UK public funder of non-medical bioscience. It predominantly funds scientific research institutes and university research departments in the UK.

In the United Kingdom, the Retail Prices Index or Retail Price Index (RPI) is a measure of inflation published monthly by the Office for National Statistics. It measures the change in the cost of a representative sample of retail goods and services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Dunnell</span> British national statistician

Dame Karen Hope Dunnell, DCB, FAcSS is an American-born British medical sociologist and civil servant. She was National Statistician and Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics of the United Kingdom and head of the Government Statistical Service from 1 September 2005 until retiring on 28 August 2009. Since its inception in 2008, she was also the Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority. She now has a range of non-executive roles including membership of Pricewaterhouse Coopers Public Interest Body, Trustee of National Heart Forum, member of the Court of Governors, University of Westminster.

Leonard Warren Cook CBE CRSNZ is a professional statistician who was Government Statistician of New Zealand from 1992 to 2000, and National Statistician and Director of the United Kingdom Office for National Statistics, and Registrar General for England and Wales from 2000 to 2005. He served as Families Commissioner in New Zealand from 2015 to 2018.

The Statistics Commission was a non-departmental public body established in June 2000 by the UK Government to oversee the work of the Office for National Statistics. Its chairman was Professor David Rhind who succeeded the first chairman, Sir John Kingman, in May 2003. Although it was non-departmental, the commission was funded by grant-in-aid from the Treasury. Following the implementation of the Statistics & Registration Services Act 2007, the commission was abolished. Its functions were to be taken over and considerably enhanced by the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA), whose powers began on 1 April 2008 under the chairmanship of Sir Michael Scholar. Professor Rhind is among the non-executive members of the new authority, to which the ONS is accountable. This contrasts with the duties of the previous Commission which were limited to reporting, observing and criticizing ONS while it, until 2008, has been publicly accountable via a Treasury minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine Statistics Authority</span> Philippine statistics and census authority

The Philippine Statistics Authority is the central statistical authority of the Philippine government that collects, compiles, analyzes, and publishes statistical information on economic, social, demographic, political affairs, and general affairs of the people of the Philippines, as well as enforcing the civil registration functions in the country.

The National Statistician is the Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, and the Head of the UK Government Statistical Service. The office was created by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. The UK Statistics Authority announced that Sir Ian Diamond would take over as National Statistician in October 2019, following the retirement of John Pullinger in June 2019.

Sir Harry Campion, KCB, CBE was a British statistician and the first director of what was the Central Statistical Office of the United Kingdom. He was also first director of the United Nations Statistical Office. He played a leading role in the development of official statistics, nationally and internationally, after the Second World War.

William Patrick McLennan was an Australian statistician who was Director of the Central Statistical Office (CSO) of the United Kingdom and Australian Statistician, head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Sir Michael Charles Scholar, KCB is a British civil servant and former President of St John's College, Oxford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which established the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA). It came into force in April 2008. Sir Michael Scholar was appointed as the first Chair of the UKSA.

Dame Jilian Norma Matheson is the former National Statistician of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office for Budget Responsibility</span> Advisory non-departmental public body in the UK

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is a non-departmental public body funded by the UK Treasury, that the UK government established to provide independent economic forecasts and independent analysis of the public finances. It was formally created in May 2010 following the general election and was placed on a statutory footing by the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011. It is one of a growing number of official independent fiscal watchdogs around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denise Lievesley</span> British social statistician

Denise Anne Lievesley is a British social statistician. She has formerly been Chief Executive of the English Information Centre for Health and Social Care, Director of Statistics at UNESCO, in which capacity she founded the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, and Director (1991–1997) of what is now the UK Data Archive.

Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) is an annual estimate of the level of public revenue raised in Scotland and the level of public spending for the residents of Scotland under current constitutional arrangements. It was first published in 1992, and yearly since 1995, with the exceptions of 2007 where there was no report due to a methodology review, and 2016 where there were two annual reports due to an acceleration of publishing timescale.

The UK Shareholders’ Association (UKSA) is a not-for-profit organisation limited by guarantee with over 500 members. It is the UK's oldest shareholder campaigning organisation, representing and supporting individual investors in the UK stock markets.

Beyond 2011, also known as The Beyond 2011 Programme, was a project initiated by the UK Statistics Authority to look at the alternatives to running a UK census in 2021. In 2008, the Treasury Select Committee had expressed concerns about the increasing cost of running the census and inaccuracies in data gathered only every ten years. In 2010 the newly elected coalition government reiterated such concerns responding to a report by the UK Statistics Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 United Kingdom census</span> 2021–22 census of the population of the UK

The 2021 United Kingdom census is the 23rd official census of the United Kingdom. Beginning in 1801, they have been recorded every 10 years. The 2021 censuses of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland took place on 21 March 2021, and the census of Scotland took place 364 days later on 20 March 2022. The censuses were administered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in England and Wales, by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) in Northern Ireland, and by the National Records of Scotland in Scotland. These were the first British censuses for which most of the data was gathered online. Two of them went ahead despite the COVID-19 pandemic, in part because the information obtained would assist government and public understanding of the pandemic's impact. The census-taking in Scotland was postponed, and took place in 2022 because of the pandemic.

References

  1. "Contact Us". UK Statistics Authority. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 UK Statistics Authority. (2018). UK Statistics Authority Annual Report and Accounts 2017/18. London. ISBN   9781528605892. OCLC   1053733779.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. "Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 2007 c. 18
  4. "Timeline". www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  5. "The Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional Provision) Order 2008", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2008/839
  6. "What we do – Office for National Statistics". ons.gov.uk.
  7. "About the Code". Code of Practice for Statistics. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  8. "What we do". UK Statistics Authority. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  9. Cosstick, Nick (23 November 2017). "Communicating uncertainty to recapture trust in experts – Networks of evidence and expertise for public policy". csap.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  10. Georgiou, Andreas V. (1 January 2020). "Prerelease access to official statistics is not consistent with professional ethics". Statistical Journal of the IAOS. 36 (2): 317. doi:10.3233/SJI-200620. ISSN   1874-7655. S2CID   219144205 . Retrieved 3 January 2022. prerelease access by the government was significantly curtailed in the UK in 2017
  11. "Centre for Applied Data Ethics". UK Statistics Authority. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  12. "Independent Review of the UK Statistics Authority 2023 - 2024".
  13. "Independent review of UK economic statistics: final report".
  14. "Independent review of Methodology".
  15. "Robert Chote appointed as chair of UKSA". Cabinet Office.
  16. 1 2 "UK Statistics Authority: board appointments". GOV.UK. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  17. "Appointment of Professor Sir John Aston to the UK Statistics Authority Board". UK Statistics Authority.
  18. "Appointment of two new Non-Executive Directors to the UK Statistics Authority Board" . Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  19. "The Board".
  20. 1 2 "The Board".