I. Accessibility of migration estimates
I. ONS should improve the accessibility of migration data and information:
-
relating to the migration transformation programme so it is clear to all users what is the most up-to-date data and information and what should be used in what context.
-
available across Government so it is clear to users what related information is produced by other Government Departments.
Actions taken and commitments made by ONS to meet the recommendation
ONS publishes blog posts alongside statistical publications which provide users with an overview of the key issues, a brief update on the transformation and provides links to the statistics and any other relevant material including methods papers and research updates. The most recent publications contain links to information from other sources including the Home Office.
ONS informs its users about any relevant publications through user groups and mailing lists.
ONS has clear labels on statistical publications which tell users whether they provide the most up-to-date information and if they don’t, ONS provides users with appropriate links.
ONS published a dashboard on the Government Analysis Function (AF) website which includes links to a wide range of migration statistics – not just those published by ONS.
OSR’s evaluation of evidence
Navigating the ONS website can be a challenge for users. The migration team have tried to mitigate this challenge to support users of migration statistics in several ways, but information can be a bit disjointed and difficult to find.
We support the use of blog posts to bring together a range of outputs being published simultaneously, but the blog posts tend to only point to material being published at that time. The AF dashboard is a really helpful tool for users but links users only to statistical publications and doesn’t provide links to research papers, methods papers or any other material. This means that users may find navigating their way through the relevant websites challenging.
Whilst we recognise that ONS has met our requirement, ONS should continue to keep abreast of user needs and ensure migration statistics are easily accessible to provide users with a more coherent picture of migration.