1. Build public trust in evidence

Our focus for 2021/22

Evolving statistical production

Key deliverables

The pandemic and the departure from the EU have led to significant changes to how data are produced and what is available. We have seen greater flexibility, including timelier statistics, and changes to data collection have accelerated. We will:

• consider implications of decisions made during pandemic – balancing quality with having what we need at the right time – and what this means for our judgement of quality of statistics, including contributing to the review commissioned by PACAC of health and social care data.
• review impact of pandemic on data collection, including for the UK National Accounts
• examine specific quality issues e.g. Living Costs and Food Survey
• continue assessment of Census 2021

2. Make greater data available in a secure way for research and evaluation

Our focus for 2021/22

Consolidating our role in data

Key deliverables

The statistical system of the future will be based around linked data sets, used for research and evaluation. We will develop our thinking on our role in regulation of data and develop our Code guidance to advocate for statistical models that command public confidence. We will:

• review progress by statistics system on data linkage since our 2019 report, and conduct follow up work around data access, data matching and linkage
• follow up our review of approach to designing statistics models for awarding 2020 exam results, supporting broader applications of the lessons learned to command public confidence in statistics models, whatever they are designed to measure
• follow up on our Reproducible Analytical Pipelines (RAP) Review

3. Enhance understanding of social and economic matters, and

4. Improve clarity and coherence of communication for maximum impact

Our focus for 2021/22

Granularity of statistics, public good, and data gaps

Key deliverables

To maximise our impact we focus on how official statistics can best serve the public good, and ensuring that statistics reflect society. It is important that the statistical system demonstrates leadership and identifies where new and enhanced statistics are needed to answer important questions. We will:

• review regional statistics to measure changes in regional performance
• establish framework for regulating statistics on inequalities e.g. access to transport services
• conduct primary research with the public to understand definitions of public good
• complete our review of the National Statistics designation
• monitor producer plans to meet emerging data needs from the pandemic, including a review of the impact of the pandemic on children and young people
• look ahead: Engage decision makers and examine how well statistics system is prepared to meet future needs more generally