Dear Ben,

When the Office for Statistics Regulation published its review of intelligent transparency in Government last November, the UK Statistics Authority interim chair, Penny Young, wrote to Dan York-Smith highlighting the report’s findings and recommendations.

The Chair’s letter included recommendations for the Number 10 data science team, and the Number 10 administrative team more broadly. In brief, those recommendations were for Number 10 to review training needs regarding the Code of Practice for Statistics and intelligent transparency; and to improve connections with the statistical community across government.

Following the meeting you and I had on 30 January, I am writing to summarise the steps you have taken to address this recommendation:

• You have established an induction and ongoing programme for special advisors which sets out the expectations for Ministers and officials when they use data and analysis in public statements. I would be happy to present to this group to reinforce our core principles;
• You have taken on the role of chief analyst within the Number 10 team; and
• You are engaging more regularly with the network of heads of profession for statistics across Government.

These steps are welcome and will help embed intelligent transparency into the way in which Ministers and officials use data and statistics.

More broadly, this approach reflects the strength of having a strong data team at the centre of Government. Number 10 plays a central role in government’s use of statistics, data and wider analysis, and the Number 10 Data Science team can clearly be an effective tool for maintaining high standards in how this is done.

I would be very happy to lend our support to your important work.

Yours sincerely,

Ed Humpherson
Director General for OSR