Our regulatory approach: how OSR applies the Code of Practice for Statistics
The Code of Practice for Statistics
The Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code) sets the standards that those producing official statistics should apply to deliver statistics that serve the public good.
But the Code is not just for official statistics: it is for all to use. The Code is based on the core principles of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value (TQV), which are a useful framework for analysts and organisations both inside and outside of government.
The current version of the Code, edition 3.0, has three main elements, which set out how to apply TQV and the Code for different audiences:
- The Code Principles unpack TQV and help anyone using data and producing statistics to work in a way that allows others to have confidence in their commitment to delivering the best possible outputs.
- The Standards for Official Statistics within the Code set out the specific standards and practices related to each principle that producers of official statistics must follow to ensure that official statistics serve the public good and support public confidence.
- The Standards for the Public Use of Statistics, Data and Wider Analysis describe the three standards and related practices that all public bodies should meet when communicating statistics, data and wider analysis in the public domain.
The next sections set out how OSR applies and regulates against these three sections of the Code.
Standards for Official Statistics
The Standards for Official Statistics within the Code set out the specific standards and practices related to each principle that producers of official statistics must follow to ensure that official statistics serve the public good and support public confidence.
The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) assesses compliance with the Code through compliance reviews (including Assessment) and casework.
- Assessment: a review conducted when a producer has requested the accreditation of official statistics. Compliance with all standards and practices of the Code’s Standards for Official Statistics is reviewed. Assessment is the only tool that allows us to grant accredited official statistics status (called National Statistics in the Act).
- Compliance review of existing accredited official statistics: a review conducted to check the statistics’ ongoing compliance with the Code. They often focus on a specific issue or part of the Code. They may lead to more-focused reviews if issues arise and could ultimately result in us deciding to remove the accreditation from the statistics.
- Compliance review of official statistics: a review conducted to check the statistics’ ongoing compliance with Code, but where the outcome does not involve a decision on accreditation. Their main aim is to recommend improvements to the statistics. We may recommend that the producer seeks accreditation, but it is up to them to pursue accreditation separately via assessment.
- Casework: When concerns are raised with us, or based on our own review, we will consider making public comment on the production and dissemination of statistics. Our interventions policy sets out how we review concerns and determine whether we publish our response to an issue
In some cases, the producer itself will report to the Office for Statistics Regulation that it is no longer confident that it meets the criteria for Accredited Official Statistics designation. We will typically agree to a request to suspend or remove Accredited Official Statistics designation and update the Regulation Committee at its next meeting.
Standards for the Public Use for Statistics, Data and Wider Analysis
The Standards for the Public Use of Statistics, Data and Wider Analysis describe the three standards and related practices that all public bodies should meet when communicating statistics, data and wider analysis in the public domain.
The primary way that OSR regulates against these standards is through casework, which is the process by which OSR investigates concerns about the use of statistics. OSR’s interventions policy outlines when OSR will publicly intervene on the use of statistics, data and wider analysis. OSR publishes an annual review of casework which provides details of the volume and types of cases looked at and explores common themes and issues.
These standards will not form a core part of assessments and compliance reviews of official statistics. However, regulators may review how the official statistics in question are used in the public domain in line with these standards to determine how an official statistics producer body supports general adherence to the Code. Accreditation decisions (awarding, removing, or retaining) will not be based solely on adherence to these standards.
Code Principles
The Code Principles unpack TQV and help anyone using data and producing statistics to work in a way that allows others to have confidence in their commitment to delivering the best possible outputs.
The Code Principles have been designed to be applied by people in different roles, including analytical, operational, policy and communication roles, who are working with different types of evidence and analysis, such as data science, management information, economic analysis and social research. They can be used both inside government and in other settings such as the commercial sector, academia and voluntary sector.
Any producer of data, statistics and analysis that are not official statistics, who is applying the Code principles, is encouraged to be part of the TQV Voluntary Application scheme run by the Office for Statistics Regulation. The scheme reflects an ongoing commitment to apply TQV.
OSR does not have a formal role in regulating the voluntary application of the TQV principles but we are responsible for managing the TQV Voluntary Application scheme.
If someone raises a concern with us that relates to the presentation of quantitative information in the public domain by a member of the TQV VA scheme, we will contact the organisation involved and review its TQV statement and procedures. Any intervention will be made on an informal and advisory basis. This work is carried out in line with our Interventions Policy. We are prepared to comment publicly on the voluntary application of the Code’s principles, where there is a clear public good argument to support this.
