OSR sets out action needed to produce key comparable UK data
The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) has today published a systemic review addressing the persistent challenges in delivering UK-wide comparable statistics on priority topics, such as on health and education outcomes.
This review responds to recommendations from the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and the Independent Review of the UK Statistics Authority, which both highlighted the difficulties in comparing the experiences and outcomes of citizens across between different parts of the UK.
To address these challenges, the review proposes a comparability framework to help the UK statistical system better understand where data comparability issues exist and prioritise resources to develop statistics where comparability should be improved.
OSR has also made four key recommendations for the Government Statistical Service (GSS) to facilitate a step change in delivering UK-wide comparable statistics on priority topics. The recommendations focus on reviewing legal frameworks for data sharing, engaging with users, reviewing governance, and seeking cross-UK political commitments to adequately finance meaningfully comparable statistics at national, regional and local levels.
Ed Humpherson, Director General for Regulation at the OSR, said:
“This review provides a clear framework to help the UK statistical system meet user needs for comparable statistics across the UK. While our recommendations are challenging, they are necessary to drive the changes needed to address longstanding issues.
He continued: Working with the Government Statistical Service, OSR hopes to support the delivery of comparable UK-wide statistics for the public good.”
Note to Editors
- The UK’s statistical system includes those who collect, produce, disseminate and regulate official statistics, alongside central bodies that set strategic direction.
- The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) provides independent regulation of all official statistics produced in the UK, and aim to enhance public confidence in the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics produced by government. OSR regulate 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). 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.
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