Ed Humpherson to Alastair McAlpine: Scottish House Condition Survey statistics

Dear Alastair

SCOTTISH HOUSE CONDITION SURVEY STATISTICS

Thank you for your letter outlining your assurances about the quality of your Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) statistics. I welcome the positive and constructive attitude of your statisticians in engaging with my team. My team has reviewed the steps taken by your statisticians to assure themselves of the quality of SHCS 2022 data.

You highlight the potential for some bias in estimates by tenure, but that these differences are unlikely to have a significant impact on the SHCS 2022 results. I welcome your statisticians’ proposed enhancements to the statistical narrative to communicate the potential for increased uncertainty in statistics related to tenure. This will help to ensure an appropriate interpretation of the statistics by users. Your planned review of SHCS 2022 estimates against Census 2022 results when published will be helpful in providing further insights about their representativeness.

On the basis that the methodology and quality of SHCS 2022 estimates are now comparable with that from before the pandemic, and the proposed enhancements to statistical commentary, I am pleased to restore accredited official statistics status for the SHCS statistics from 2022 onwards (accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007).

Yours sincerely

Ed Humpherson

Ed Humpherson to Alastair McAlpine: Scottish House Condition Survey statistics

SCOTTISH HOUSE CONDITION SURVEY STATISTICS

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