Dear Jonathan

I am writing to welcome your publication today of a blog and three supplementary articles on your contingency plans for producing key economic statistics during the challenges faced as a result of COVID-19. We support the open and proactive way that you have engaged with a range of stakeholders, your proactive and responsive thinking about the use of alternative data sources to minimise the effects of COVID-19 on existing data availability, and your publication of these articles in advance of the next round of key economic indicators. Taken together they represent exactly the kind of transparency that the Code of Practice for Statistics encourages as a foundation of trustworthy statistical production.

We also appreciate your ongoing engagement with us about the National Statistics designation of these statistics, and I am grateful for your openness in keeping these under review.

Yours sincerely

Ed Humpherson

Director General for Regulation