What we want to achieve in 2024/25
Support and challenge producers to innovate, collaborate and build resilience
The change we want to see
We want to see producers maximising public good in the context of constrained resources. Where producers are delivering change, we want to see transformation that responds to emerging areas of user need and to challenges to resilience and to the quality of statistics. We want to see these transformations led well and driven by user need to maximise the value of statistics and data through increased innovation and more collaboration.
Recognising the immense value of data sharing and linkage for decision makers and the wider public, we want to see this becoming the norm across the UK statistical system, improving availability of data and analysis that draws on linked data for people working inside and beyond government. There is also growing interest in the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and their application to official statistics.
What we will deliver
- Programme of scrutiny of economic statistics and continuation of Spotlight on Quality series
- Enhanced focus on regulation of key transformation programmes – ONS (Labour Force Survey and Population) and wider statistical system (Family Resources Survey)
- Finalise and implement the outcomes of our Code of Practice Review
- State of the Statistical System 2023/24 report
- A report on our work with others to realise recommendations to enable data sharing and linkage across government
- Advocacy, guidance and support for producers: engaging with and listening to a broad range of users to understand their needs; prioritising outputs; building resilience across the statistical system; and on innovation and improvement in the production of official statistics.
Champion the effective communication of statistics to support society’s key information needs
The change we want to see
Our primary focus this year is to protect the use of statistics and data ahead of the General Election and through the campaigning period. We want to see misuse minimised and full transparency of data sources being referenced by all parties and commentators, locally, nationally and through social media.
More broadly, we will continue to champion intelligent transparency and the importance of continuing to improve how statistics are communicated to users – including how to address misinformation, how to communicate uncertainty, and how to understand the public good provided by statistics.
What we will deliver
- General Election planning and response including topic statements on key areas, guidance on our expectations of producers during this period and interventions
- Continued focus on Intelligent Transparency, including increased engagement with Government communication teams and ministerial offices across the four nations
- Our Communicating Statistics programme will support producers to communicate the quality of and insight from statistics to different audiences, we will refresh our guidance, and develop our understanding of best practice
- Undertake research on Use of Statistics in Decision Making
- Steps to enhance comparability of statistics across the UK
- A review of Police Recorded Crime (England and Wales)
Build partnerships to champion good practice principles for data and analysis that inform the public
The change we want to see
We want to build on and develop new relationships beyond official statistics that enable OSR to: improve the ability of statistics, data and analysis to serve the public good; amplify our impact and reach, championing good practice principles for data and analysis that inform the public, and; deepen our understanding of how statistics and data are valued and the public good of statistics, to inform how we regulate.
We firmly believe that the Code pillars of Trustworthiness, Quality and Value (TQV) are universal and can be useful in all kinds of situations for producing information that is not official statistics. We want to see more organisations beyond official statistics voluntarily apply our standards of TQV, to enhance public confidence in statistics and data that are used in the public domain. These types of data and analysis are often likely to be perceived and used by others as if they are official statistics.
What we will deliver
- New and deeper partnerships with organisations who have shared aims around the public good of statistics and data, working together to influence positive change, particularly the Evaluation Task Force and joint working with other regulators through the General Election period
- A refreshed Voluntary Application scheme, designed to appeal to a wider range of possible adopters, with an increased focus on guidance, support and accountability
- Drawing on our exploratory thinking about how statistics can serve the public good, we will collaboratively refine our position and ultimately our regulatory approach, including understanding how people use statistics to make personal decisions.