Access to Microdata Felix Ritchie Business Data Linking

ONS’ approach to microdata More confidential, more secure No release Virtual microdata laboratory Special licence WebUKDA Less confidential, easier access Business data, Census data Not anonymised Census, health data GHS Aggregate data

E-procurement in Manufacturing Businesses Source, ONS 2000 ABI VA/ employee (£)

Company minimum wage Figure 7: Company minimum wage for all companies

Multinational Effect in Manufacturing

Lots of data to share... Annual Respondents Database –production construction services NES & NESPD 75-03, ASHE Annual Inquiry into FDI eCommerce Survey Annual and Quarterly Investment surveys Business Expenditure on R&D et cetera... plus OGD surveys –ESS, LTW, CIS. WERS financial and WERS/ARD

…but the downside: access limited to ONS sites datasets large, unwieldy, complex, inconsistent delays in developing documentation

Research Use of Disclosive Data Purpose of the research –Statistical and not administrative –For “ONS benefit” Limits on data use –Restricted access outside ONS –Disclosure control of all results before release off-site Benefits of use –Gets more out of existing data sources for ONS - research and quality improvement Government – increasing importance for evidence-based policy making Academia/NGOs – fulfilling ONS’ public service remit

safe projects safe people (safe data) safe settings safe kit safe places safe outputs Four (plus one) safety levels protection against deliberate disclosure protection against accidental disclosure

safe projects statistical not administrative use for “ONS Benefit” no private benefit no conflict of interest

safe people Civil servants covered by a Ministerial Direction Academics employed by an approved institution –universities –research institutes In principle: PhD students Under trial: –private profit-making companies –Foreign researchers Not at all: private individuals  building precedents

safe settings - the BDL virtual data lab Data read only work area read-write Secure lab Logs in to server only screen shots, no data Researcher automatic transfer Input Output Input Output archiving of all transfers BDL staff Direct access to server

Safe outputs – disclosure control All on-site researchers required to undergo training programme –30 minutes legal background –10 minutes lab use –80 minutes SDC 12-page SDC- Rules Explained All under continuous development –Internal sources – improving our responsiveness –External sources – new issues arising

Part II ONS datasets

Data structure enterprise local unit reporting unit Enterprise group

Sampling structure Firm structure Sampling structure

Datasets Annual Respondents Database , annual Structural business survey Quarterly Capital Expenditure Survey , quarterly Small regular data on investment E-commerce survey , quarterly Ecommerce qualitative data Business Expenditure on R&D , annual R&D for large spenders survey-specific reporting unit Business Spending on Capital Items , annual Larger survey of very detailed capex data Community Innovation Survey waves 2&3 1994, 1998Qualitative data on product and process innovation and funding Employer Skills Survey/Learning and Training at Work ESS 1999/2001 LTW 2000/1 Qualitative skills surveys, voluntary local unit Annual Inquiry into FDI , annual Census of all FDI activity enterprise group

contact details The BDL team: Address: Business Data Linking Office for National Statistics 1 Drummond Gate London SW1V 1QQ /5286 Newport: Felix RitchieLondon: Gian Fazio Emma EdworthyKatherine Lam Joseph Robjohns