The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) has today published a report on economic statistics produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This report presents the evidence gathered in the initial stages of the review, which has focused mainly on data sources, and sets out our emerging conclusions and requirements for ONS. The report sets out requirements for ONS including:
- The production of a fully resourced plan for its survey operations.
- Setting out what can be achieved with available funding in its business plan, producing a strategic plan for economic statistics and producing a strategic plan for data sources.
- Implementing a rolling programme of regular reviews of individual surveys and other data sources.
OSR will review ONS’s response to this report in autumn 2025 and publish overall findings, including relevant insights from the recently announced review of ONS being conducted by Sir Robert Devereux.
Ed Humpherson, Head of OSR, said:
“Our report highlights the continuing strengths of ONS in a number of areas. But it also sets out things ONS must do urgently to maintain the confidence of its users, ensure transparency on its priorities and improve the quality of its data sources.”
Notes to Editors
1. See the report with our full conclusions and recommendations.
2. On 1 April 2025, the UK Statistics Authority and Cabinet Office jointly announced a short independent review of the performance and culture of the Office for National Statistics.
3. The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) provides independent regulation of all official statistics produced in the UK, and aims to enhance public confidence in the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics produced by government. OSR regulates statistics by setting the standards official statistics must meet in the Code of Practice for Statistics. We ensure that producers of official statistics uphold these standards by conducting assessments against the Code. Those which meet the standards are given accredited official statistics status, indicating that they meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and value. We also report publicly on systemwide issues and on the way that statistics are being used, celebrating when the standards are upheld and challenging publicly when they are not. OSR is independent from government ministers, and separate from producers of statistics, including the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
4. OSR’s Director General, Ed Humpherson, reports directly to the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority Board, Sir Robert Chote. The Director General, and OSR, have wide discretion in highlighting good practice and reporting concerns with the production and use of statistics publicly. OSR’s work is overseen by the Board’s regulation committee (made up of non-executive directors, and with no statistical producer in attendance). OSR’s budget is proposed by the Board’s regulation committee and endorsed by the Board.