Dear Jessie
Thank you for your letter setting out findings from your review of Digital Sector Economic Estimates: Employment statistics, following the suspension of the accredited official statistics status for labour market statistics from ONS’s Labour Force Survey (LFS), on which the Annual Population Survey (APS) estimates are based. As you explain, your employment statistics are produced by restructuring and aggregating APS data relating to Digital Sector Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes.
Based on the quality concerns you outline, I agree to your request to temporarily remove the accredited official statistics status from the following output:
This approach, along with the advice and caveats you provide in your publications, will ensure clarity for users about the quality issues you have found.
Our Economy, Business and Trade team will continue to engage with your team on this matter.
Yours sincerely
Ed Humpherson
Director General for OSR
Related links: Jessie Evans to Ed Humpherson: Request to remove accreditation – Office for Statistics Regulation