Dear Grant 

Assessment of Country and Regional Public Sector Finance Statistics

We have completed our assessment of your Country and Regional Public Finance (CRPSF) statistics against the Code of Practice for Statistics. We found that the statistics provide valuable insight into the Public Sector Finances of the UK nations and English regions. ONS’s engagement with users on all issues relating to CRPSF statistics has and continues to be comprehensive. Through the sub-UK Public Sector Finance Working Group, ONS provides excellent statistical leadership on the development and innovation of these statistics. ONS’s work in the areas of user engagement, statistical leadership and innovation should be considered examples of best practice. 

We judge that the CRPSF statistics can be designated as National Statistics subject to two improvements, which I am pleased your team has committed to make ahead of the next publication of CRPSF statistics, scheduled for 27 May 2022. These are to ensure that the profile and accessibility of CRPSF statistics reflects any increased demand for them, and to describe the statistical uncertainties around CRPSF statistics, and their impact on interpretation of statistical estimates that are similar. 

I am copying this letter to Phillip Wales, Head of Public Sector Division at ONS and Rob Pennington, Head of Public Sector Projects and Analysis at ONS. 

Yours sincerely, 

Ed Humpherson
Director General for Regulation