How will the Office for Statistics Regulation enhance confidence in our changing world? Statistics User Forum 27 March 2017 Thanks for the invite (to Ed) Welcome the opportunity… recent developments First – brief context to our work and the changes OSR – working title – other suggestions are welcome!

A data-rich world Abundant digital information Ease of collection Multi-source statistics Proliferation of sources – loss of ‘monopoly’ Data in discourse

Four themes Clearly separate identity Statistics are a public asset Our purpose: trustworthiness, quality, value Our scope will continue to be statistics produced by Government. Our reach will be wider. Bean review of ONS’s economic stats Included some criticism of governance and regulatory activities Sense in which ‘we’ have marked our own homework ie saying that ONS has had undue influence on regulator We have been publicly critical of ONS’s statistics, and economic stats in particular on a number of occasions Including removing the designation of NS from UK trade stats, RPI, CPIH, construction price and cost indices, overseas travel & tourism (as well as crime statistics) But – perception is essential to credibility. We clearly have not been seen as separate from statistics production

Visibly separate from production Policy & Standards Compliance with Code Systemic reviews UK Statistics Authority Office for National Statistics Office for Statistics Regulation Overall strategy Governance of ONS/OSR Policy, legislative developments Role of statistics in society Overall strategy Governance of ONS/OSR Policy, legislative developments Role of statistics in society DG for Regulation National Statistician & Deputies Other statistical producers Code of Practice sets the standard - holds system to account

Statistics are a public asset The value of this asset can be harmed by: - Poor quality; - Obsolescence; and - Misuse Commission from the Authority Board in response to Bean Within the existing legal framework We need to change perceptions, be seen to challenge when standards not maintained and champion relevant statistics: enhance public confidence in the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics

Commission from the Authority Board in response to Bean Within the existing legal framework We need to change perceptions, be seen to challenge when standards not maintained and champion relevant statistics: enhance public confidence in the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics

Enhancing public confidence in trustworthiness, quality and value Commission from the Authority Board in response to Bean Within the existing legal framework We need to change perceptions, be seen to challenge when standards not maintained and champion relevant statistics: enhance public confidence in the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics

Trustworthiness, quality and value Trustworthy: statistics produced free from vested interest, based on the professional judgement. Quality: statistics are the best available estimate of what they purport to measure and at the same time are not materially misleading. Value: statistics are not just collections of data, but generate insight, answer the questions that people want to address and inform public debate. Commission from the Authority Board in response to Bean Within the existing legal framework We need to change perceptions, be seen to challenge when standards not maintained and champion relevant statistics: enhance public confidence in the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics

QUALITY VALUE Scope and reach TRUSTWORTHY National Statistics Other official statistics TRUSTWORTHY QUALITY VALUE Information produced by non-government bodies Aggregate/secondary analysis published by Government Unit level/entity level data published by Government Widening the scope…. But not for designation ie not planning on putting the badge on more stats More about raising awareness of the standards given in the Code and their relevance more widely ie voluntary compliance Encouraging producers of other numerical information in public bodies eg MI to consider the Code Also spoken with a number of other organisations eg think tanks and charities about applying the Code of Practice and making clear what parts of the Code they are complying with (and how); and what parts they are not (and why)

How we are changing We can’t just focus on the process of production We will: Refocus Assessment on the strategic value of statistics Look system-wide at broad themes (e.g. health) Celebrate excellence as well as draw attention to areas for improvement Refresh the Code of Practice Commission from the Authority Board in response to Bean Within the existing legal framework We need to change perceptions, be seen to challenge when standards not maintained and champion relevant statistics: enhance public confidence in the trustworthiness, quality and value of statistics

Office for Statistics Regulation Clearly separate identity Standing up for public value Systemic focus Advocates of trustworthiness, quality and value Advocates of highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and value