I have great pleasure in introducing the 2023-24 Business Plan for the Office for Statistics Regulation.

In preparing this business plan, we have engaged with stakeholders a lot, probably more than we have for previous business plans. I would like to thank everyone who contributed, either via direct emails; comments on LinkedIn or Twitter; in stakeholder meetings; or at the UK Statistics Authority’s strategy event, at which I spoke.

We want to support the ongoing transformation of the statistical system. We also want to set higher expectations for the way statistical producers communicate publicly. And we want to build partnerships with other organisations that focus on how statistics and data are used in public debate, supported by wider voluntary application of our Code pillars beyond official statistics.

Our conclusion from the engagement we have undertaken is that stakeholders support our vision for OSR but want to see more from us. As I said at the strategy event, OSR is a work in progress, in particular as a fully outward-focused organisation.

This business plan therefore has a much greater outward focus than past business plans. We want to move beyond supporting good statistical production. We want to address a wider range of factors that support public confidence in statistics: defining the public good of statistics; understanding statistical literacy; better communication of statistics; supporting user engagement; and continuing to step into public debate to clarify how statistics should be interpreted.

Like OSR itself, this business plan is also a work in progress. We always recognise the need to respond to new issues and emerging user concerns. So if you have any further suggestions or questions to raise, please do contact us at regulation@statistics.gov.uk. We will always take your input seriously.

Ed Humpherson, Director General for Regulation, May 2023