Voluntary Adoption of the Code of Practice – Block Grant Transparency statistics

Dear Tom

OSR Review of the Public Value of Devolved Public Finance Statistics

Thanks for your email of 6 November and I’m delighted that you found the meetings as part of our review productive and found the review itself is useful and appreciated the innovative nature of its publication.

I very much welcome HM Treasury’s commitment to the voluntary adoption of aspects of the Code of Practice for Statistics for its Block Grant Transparency publication and like your plan to include a section announcing and explaining this in the next publication of the statistics. Penny Babb, our Policy and Standards lead, has told me of the fruitful discussion she has had with you and your colleagues about appropriate next steps in furthering Treasury’s commitment in respect to voluntary adoption of Code principles for these statistics.

Alongside the Treasury’s commitment to voluntary adoption of the Code for its Red Book statistics this further commitment to adopt the Code principles for Block Grant Transparency statistics is great testament to the Treasury’s efforts to build trust in financial reporting. I’m sure this will make a positive contribution towards users gaining a better insight into the work that takes place behind the scenes to make government financial and performance reports trustworthy.

Yours sincerely

Ed Humpherson
Director General for Regulation

cc Penny Babb, Policy and Standards Lead, Office for Statistics Regulation

Assessment Report 343: Statistics on Government Spending: Country and Regional Analysis