The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) has today published new regulatory guidance on the transparent release and use of statistics and data. The guidance is informed by the principles set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics and supports OSR’s interventions policy approach.
Transparency around publication of statistics and data enables statistics to better serve the public good. Supporting individuals and organisations to use statistics and data to reach informed decisions, answer important questions and hold governments to account.
The guidance sets out OSR’s expectations around transparency and outlines three guiding principles for intelligent transparency: equality of access, understanding and leadership. The guidance also offers practical advice on how to deliver these principles, against three key areas.
- Data needs should be considered when developing policies and management systems
- When data are quoted publicly, they should be published in an accessible form
- The presentation and communication of statistics and data should aid understanding and prevent misinterpretation
Transparency is a priority area for OSR in the coming year, as highlighted in a blog in October 2021. OSR has launched this guidance as part of a wider transparency campaign which focuses on transparency supporting informed decisions and enabling people to hold government to account.