Trust in official statistics- the role of the UK Statistics Authority in Scotland

Neil Jackson

Scotstat Conference, 29 October 2009

Coverage of presentation

• Evidence on trust in official statistics• The UK Statistics Authority’s monitoring and

assessment functions• Assessment in Scotland – the story so far• Engaging with users

ONS Omnibus, 2007

 

Figures are generally accurate

Figures are produced

without political

interference

Government uses

figures honestly

% % %

Agree 36 20 16 Neither agree

nor disagree 31 23 26

Disagree 33 57 58

Views about official statistics in GB

Views about official statistics in Scotland

Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2007

On a scale of 0 to 10, how confident are you that official statistics published by the Scottish Executive are accurate?

%

0 - 3 Low 15

4 - 6 Medium 45

7 - 10 High 30

DK/NA 9

Mean 5.43

EU Eurobarometer 2007

Do you trust official statistics?

Tend to Trust Tend not to trust DK

UK Statistics Authority

The Authority’s statutory objective

to promote and safeguard the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public good

Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007

Monitoring

Monitoring reports

• Migration statistics• Listening to the user voice• Barriers to trust in crime statistics• Review of pre-release access

Issues log

M&A notes

M&A note on knife crime statistics

Assessment aims

• to determine whether the Code of Practice for Statistics has been complied with and to designate the statistics as National Statistics (or not to designate …)

• to help the producers of official statistics to enhance the quality of the statistical service over a period of time

• to communicate to Parliament and the public the extent of compliance with the Code

National Statistics logo

Code of Practice for official statistics

• Principle 1: Meeting user needs• Principle 2: Impartiality and objectivity• Principle 3: Integrity• Principle 4: Sound methods and assured quality• Principle 5: Confidentiality• Principle 6: Proportionate burden• Principle 7: Resources• Principle 8: Frankness and accessibility

Initial assessments of Scottish Government statistics

• Recorded Crime in Scotland

• Scottish Health Survey

• Scottish House Condition Survey

• Scottish Crime and Justice Survey

• Statistics on Children Looked After by Local Authorities in Scotland

Initial findings from assessment

• Process welcomed by producers – some have started their own self-assessment reviews

• Good engagement with government users, but less so with external users

• Good confidentiality protection

• Presentation and accessibility – some scope for improvement

• More documentation needed on aspects of the Code

Typical requirements from initial assessment reports

• Publish a plan for engaging with users

• Publish a statement on the needs of users and the uses of the statistics

• Publish annually the cost of the burden on suppliers

• Include a clear statement on data quality in the publication

• Publish a statement of administrative sources

Next round of assessments

• Labour market statistics• Schools statistics• 2001 census• Cancer & cancer screening• NHS workforce statistics• Child protection statistics• Transport statistics• Lifelong learning statistics• Business statistics• Environment and rural statistics

Workshops on trust in statistics

Listening to the users’ voice

• Do you trust official statistics?• What are your views on the devolved Scottish

statistics that you use?• How can the Authority best engage with you?• What would be a good topic for an Authority

monitoring report?

Website

UK Statistics Authorityhttp://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/