Deciding when to stop using the label

The conclusion of the development

Deciding whether to stop using the label will be the producer’s judgement of one of three outcomes:

1. The statistics are of sufficient quality and value to be used in a meaningful way and so be published as official statistics.
2. The statistics are of insufficient quality or do not meet the required need and so production will be stopped.
3. There is insufficient evidence to reach a conclusion, or further refinement is required – producers would continue the development and be clear about extent of further testing.

When to publish as ‘official statistics’

When the producer, under the guidance of the Head of Profession for Statistics, decides that the statistics are useful and of sufficient trustworthiness, quality and value, they should publish the statistics as official statistics, making clear the basis of their decision.

The label ‘official statistics in development’ should not be used indefinitely. Some producers have used the label to indicate that the statistics are of poor quality – that is not appropriate.

It is worth statistics producers reviewing their existing official statistics in development to be certain that a development and evaluation should continue.

Where a development has concluded and the production of the statistics is continuing, then the label of ‘official statistics in development’ should be removed; the statistics should be published as ‘official statistics’, making sure to describe their strengths and limitations.