Scottish Government Experience of National Statistics Assessments Janette Purbrick Office of the Chief Statistician TTSAC - 28 April 2010

Statistics and Registration Services Act Statistics and Registration Services Act UK Statistics Authority UK Statistics Authority Code of Practice for Official Statistics Code of Practice for Official Statistics Official Statistics & National Statistics Official Statistics & National Statistics Assessment and Designation Assessment and Designation Pre-release access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Order Pre-release access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Order

SG progress… 7 NS Assessments completed 7 NS Assessments completed –Recorded Crime in Scotland –Children Looked After Statistics –Scottish Crime and Justice Survey – Scottish House Condition Survey –Scottish Health Survey –Scottish Household Survey including Travel diary, Household Transport & Transport across Scotland –Labour Market Stats 5 NS Assessments in progress 5 NS Assessments in progress –Education Statistics –Patient Experience Surveys –Child Protection –SIMD –Scottish Transport Statistics Loads due to start in next 3 years for SG……. Loads due to start in next 3 years for SG…….

Transport Stats in UK Already Assessed Already Assessed DfT - Road Casualty Statistics - Road Freight Statistics About to start: About to start: DfT - Travel Surveys - Transport Statistics Compendia - Transport Statistics Compendia WAG – Transport Statistics NI depts – Transport Statistics

Key stages of the process Supplier/User/Stakeholder list Supplier/User/Stakeholder list –Gives an indication of how broad and diverse SG user group is –Used by the Authority to issue questionnaires Written Evidence for Assessment (WEFA) Written Evidence for Assessment (WEFA) –The main part of the assessment –Meetings and s to follow up WEFA Assessment Report Assessment Report –Draft for comment –Final –Action plan needed Reporting Back Reporting Back

Code of Practice – some key requirements Pre-announcing Pre-announcing Release practices Release practices Unbiased commentary and presentation Unbiased commentary and presentation Quality Assurance Quality Assurance Consultation/engaging with users Consultation/engaging with users Management information/admin sources Management information/admin sources

Working with the Authority Authority very fair throughout the process They stated that they wanted this process to have “as little disruption to your regular work as possible” They stated that they wanted this process to have “as little disruption to your regular work as possible” There was negotiation around timescales etc There was negotiation around timescales etc Statistics Liaison meetings Statistics Liaison meetings Building TRUST Building TRUST

Reflections on the process Clear that documentation is key to demonstrating good practice Clear that documentation is key to demonstrating good practice Time consuming process but not difficult Time consuming process but not difficult Overall process was really helpful Overall process was really helpful A valuable way of self-assessing SG products A valuable way of self-assessing SG products Makes it easier for us to form an action plan for improvement to strengthen product Makes it easier for us to form an action plan for improvement to strengthen product Pre-release Access Order Pre-release Access Order Know more about our products than before - specifically aware of products strengths/weaknesses against the Code of Practice Know more about our products than before - specifically aware of products strengths/weaknesses against the Code of Practice Brought the Code of Practice to life! Brought the Code of Practice to life!

What SG is doing NOW! NOW…..look at outputs WEFA for SG products Can we answer all the questions in the WEFA? Can we answer all the questions in the WEFA? For each question are we: For each question are we: confident/partially confident/not confident… ….of meeting the Code? confident/partially confident/not confident… ….of meeting the Code? What documentation do we have/need? What documentation do we have/need? Ensure we have relevant documentation (stakeholder lists/individuals with pre-release access/stakeholder consultation material/changes to methodology etc). Ensure we have relevant documentation (stakeholder lists/individuals with pre-release access/stakeholder consultation material/changes to methodology etc). Publish where applicable Publish where applicable Start now…save time later! Start now…save time later!

Factor in… We need time/notice to prepare briefing for Ministers/Comms re final report findings We need time/notice to prepare briefing for Ministers/Comms re final report findings How do we best inform stakeholders and users about the Authority and the assessment process? How do we best inform stakeholders and users about the Authority and the assessment process? Assessment is now part of what we do and is reflected in our business plans Assessment is now part of what we do and is reflected in our business plans

After assessment Respond to requirements and set up plan of action Respond to requirements and set up plan of action Consider suggested improvements for the next publication Consider suggested improvements for the next publication Keep Ministers involved Keep Ministers involved Authority feedback on all 74 Code practices. Detailed and extremely useful. Authority feedback on all 74 Code practices. Detailed and extremely useful. Involve users/suppliers/stakeholders Involve users/suppliers/stakeholders

Things coming up in SG assessments to date… Reporting back on user engagement Reporting back on user engagement Setting statistics more in context – referring to current targets etc. Setting statistics more in context – referring to current targets etc. Ensuring commentary impartial Ensuring commentary impartial Publishing Statement of Administrative Sources Publishing Statement of Administrative Sources Publishing procedures on confidentiality & revisions Publishing procedures on confidentiality & revisions Improving Ministerial statements on statistics and ensuring their separation from the Statistics Improving Ministerial statements on statistics and ensuring their separation from the Statistics Survey interview length Survey interview length Abbreviations Abbreviations Comparability (UK, 4 nations) Comparability (UK, 4 nations)

What it means for TTSAC Users, Suppliers, Stakeholders are very important in the Assessment process Users, Suppliers, Stakeholders are very important in the Assessment process As such, Carol Ann will be asked to provide contact details to the Authority. As such, Carol Ann will be asked to provide contact details to the Authority. May be asked for steer of such users etc May be asked for steer of such users etc Scotstat register has proved useful Scotstat register has proved useful Open invitation on Authority’s website Open invitation on Authority’s website This committee, as well as the Authority, will find the views of users, suppliers and stakeholders of use! This committee, as well as the Authority, will find the views of users, suppliers and stakeholders of use!

Compendia SG no experience of compendium publications assessment SG no experience of compendium publications assessment Opened dialogue with UK Statistics Authority for advice Opened dialogue with UK Statistics Authority for advice Lessons learned from Assessments 5 and 22 which are compendium assessments: Lessons learned from Assessments 5 and 22 which are compendium assessments: –DECC UK Energy Indicators –DEFRA Agriculture in the UK

“ Assessments of compendium publications against the Code of Practice relate to the processes involved in preparing the publication, rather than in producing the statistics that are included. Those sets of statistics will normally be subject to separate assessment.” UK Statistics Authority, July 2009

“Designation of a compendium publication as National Statistics therefore means that the producer body has, for example: identified and met user needs in terms of the content of the publication; considered the appropriateness of each series for inclusion; and written appropriate commentary.” UK Statistics Authority, July 2009

From Assessments 5 & 22…. improved citation of data sources publish information on the methods adopted in the collection and production of these statistics users must be informed about data quality via a clear statement on data quality in the publication indicate whether provisional or final data are being used, and when any updates will be available via a statement on revisions investigate the costs and benefits of setting up formal agreements with the data owners, so that information on unscheduled corrections and revisions to source data can be reflected in the publication

Summary SG been through the complete process a number of times now (but not a compendium assessment) SG been through the complete process a number of times now (but not a compendium assessment) Good working relationship with the Edinburgh office of the Authority including SG piloting assessment process and evidence forms Good working relationship with the Edinburgh office of the Authority including SG piloting assessment process and evidence forms Internal help available for the assessment Internal help available for the assessment TTSAC (and Scotstat) very important to process TTSAC (and Scotstat) very important to process All other Transport Statistics’ users, suppliers, stakeholders also important All other Transport Statistics’ users, suppliers, stakeholders also important