Dear Ed,
Response to Systemic Review of Economic Statistics
In response to the Systemic Review of Economic Statistics, published by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) in April 2025, I am writing to update you that today the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published Restoring confidence, improving quality: The plan for ONS economic statistics. The ONS is committed to being open about where things stand, in terms of risks and issues in the quality of some of our core statistics and to set out what we need to do to improve.
Our Plan for ONS Economic Statistics details how we intend to address current quality issues, and the improvements we aim to make in each of our core statistics. We have welcomed engagement with your team and understand from those discussions that this plan, alongside our Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan and our forthcoming revised ONS Strategic Business Plan, should help address the immediate requirements that you set out in the Systemic Review.
We plan to update the Plan for Economic Statistics annually, reporting on progress in the previous financial year and setting out our priorities for the year ahead. This is in line with your Requirement Two for “an annually updated strategic plan for economic statistics”.
The Plan for Economic Statistics also sets out how we will meet the requirements set out in the recent review of UK Trade Statistics by the OSR, including plans and associated timelines to investigate revisions and any potential bias in our trade in services estimates and improve our processing systems. We will share more detailed trade development updates on the ONS website as we work towards meeting these requirements and seeking re-accreditation.
I am copying this request to Emma Rourke, Acting National Statistician, Liz McKeown, Director of Economic Statistics Production and Analysis and Richard Heys, Acting Director of Macroeconomic and Environment Statistics and Analysis.
Yours sincerely,
Grant Fitzner
Acting Director General, Economic, Social and Environmental Group