Dear Rebekah 

Temporary suspension of accredited official statistics status of Sea Fisheries Statistics

Thank you for your letter regarding the accredited official statistics status of Sea Fisheries statistics. 

I recognise your professionalism in undertaking your review of the statistics and welcome your transparency in bringing your concerns to the attention of users. I fully support your proposal to publish these statistics as official statistics, rather than accredited official statistics, until a time when you have completed your development programme and secured improvements to the outputs. 

Our Transport, Environment, and Climate Change team will be happy to engage with you about the most appropriate timing for a short review of the Sea Fisheries statistics once you feel assured that they fully comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics. This will be with a view to determine whether the accreditation can be reinstated when they are published.  

I am copying this letter to Ian Lonsdale, Head of Profession, Defra, Michelle Willis, Chief Executive Officer, MMO, and Mike Rowe, Director of Marine and Fisheries, Defra. 

Yours sincerely  

 Ed Humpherson
Director General for OSR