Ed Humpherson to Alastair McAlpine: Confirmation of accreditation for statistics on fraud and computer misuse from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey
Dear Alastair,
Confirmation of accreditation for statistics on fraud and computer misuse from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey
We have recently completed an assessment of the statistics on fraud and computer misuse from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) produced by the Scottish Government. I am pleased to confirm that these statistics comply with the standards of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value in the Code of Practice for Statistics. This letter confirms that they should be labelled as accredited official statistics.
The fraud and computer misuse estimates fill a significant knowledge gap on crimes experienced by the Scottish population. We welcome your collaborative approach to developing the statistics and your commitment to continuously improving the SCJS questions.
The review identified three recommendations which would further enhance the Trustworthiness, Quality and Value of the statistics, including making the latest SCJS microdata available through the UK Data Service, and exploring the feasibility of producing further breakdowns of fraud data. We expect you to provide a public update on progress against the recommendations by December 2026.
I am grateful for the constructive engagement from you and your team throughout the assessment.
I am copying this letter to David Smith, Head of Safer Communities Analytical Unit, Justice Analytical Services; and Paul Matthews, Head of Profession for Statistics.
Yours sincerely,
Ed Humpherson
Director General for OSR