Today, the Office for Statistics Regulation published its annual review of the statistical system. We find that statisticians across the UK are committed to maintaining quality, integrity and trust in their outputs, ensuring a resilient and effective statistical system.
Following the publication of the Devereux Review, this report comes at a time when the UK’s statistical landscape is under scrutiny. In our view, the Office for National Statistics (ONS)’s recently published plan for economic statistics provides the right foundations to restore confidence in ONS. However, we do not underestimate the challenge ahead for ONS in rebuilding quality and user confidence.
Although there has been much focus on ONS over the last year, our report also highlights the findings of our regulatory work across the broader UK statistical system through exploring areas of progress, innovation and challenge. This includes reporting on the demand, resourcing and engagement pressures for producers across the UK. Our report illustrates the actions statisticians are taking to ensure that statistics can be maintained at the quality that is needed in an environment of low response rates and tight resources.
OSR also notes the continued slow progress in unlocking the benefits of data sharing and linkage, and the risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence.
This report also showcases several examples of good practice across government in improving how statistics are communicated and how the principles of equality of access, enhancing understanding, and independent decision making and leadership are being embedded.
Commenting on this report, Ed Humpherson, Director General of the Office for Statistics Regulation said:
“We have found a statistical system that, as a whole, is robust, with statisticians who are effectively meeting a wide range of demands. Despite clear challenges faced by the ONS, the broader statistical system remains robust and is working hard to meet diverse user needs”.
Ed Humpherson continued:
Following our review of economic statistics, we find that ONS has adopted a much more open and transparent assessment of the challenges it faces. This is a crucial first step but there is a huge amount to do to restore confidence.”
Notes for Editors
- The UK’s statistical system includes those who collect, produce, disseminate and regulate official statistics, alongside central bodies that set strategic direction. This is the sixth report in our annual series on the State of the Statistics System that OSR has published. You can read our previous reports and related materials we have published here: 2020– 2021 – 2022 – 2023 – 2024.
- 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). OSR’s Director General, Ed Humpherson, reports directly to the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority Board. 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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