1 1 Independency and ethical issues. New challenges after the reshaping of official statistics and use of smart data. By Olav Ljones Statistics Norway IAOS Shanghai 16 – 16 Oct 2008 Concurrent session 29

2 1. Introduction Official statistics has always been close to government and administrative data. From Description of the state – to the Era of Social Statistics The modern official statistics- National accounts and other systems for overall coverage The history of sample surveys. The theoretical foundation The history of registers – the theoretical foundation –on its way?

3 2. Ethics for statisticians and corporate ethics for NSOs The ISI Declaration (see Statistics Norway ( tatistics.pdf) tatistics.pdf Statistics Finland )

4 3. Principles for official statistics. Quality definitions Good methods Confidentiality Independency UN Fundamental Principles, IMF, Eurostat Code of practice

5 4. The concept of independency Recently been developed to be more precise and with a legal foundation. Independence is understood intuitively but even so be difficult to define precisely. Some key words to understand independency: The legal status for NSO as an autonomous entity in the Government The DG and the NSO have the full responsibility the statistics they produce, without interference from political or others. The legal right to collect data Access to sufficient resources

6 5. Modern Government The Welfare State New Public Management –User prices –Outsourcing and tender competition –Introduction of new accounting standards, and budget principles –More distinct roles in government, production, transfers, and control and inspection. –Result oriented management. –Indicator based budget –Unit based budgets (Hospitals (DRG), schools and universities)

7 NPM New Public Management is data oriented, since data is used for decisions and budgets It may also be observed that the NSO is more directly involved in building the data system used, both for public management and official statistics The culture and tradition behind new public management may also influence on the management of NSO.

8 6. Will smart data from public sector have the sufficient quality and independency? Many examples of administrative data from public sector that are of high quality and well suited for official statistics Be aware of the possibility that the administrative system and model for data collection may have influence the phenomenon we are observing (D R Cox)

9 Do we need an extended definition of administrative data? Traditional administrative data –Individual data used for decisions taken concerning the individual and generated by the decision process. –Examples. Income data collected about the individual and the taxation result New public management administrative data –Observed indicators for example based on aggregation of individual client reports. Resources used, Accounts for administrative unit. –Indicators are used for decisions regarding g the individual client but the administrative unit.

10 7. Conclusions - points for discussion Reshaping of official statistics is on the agenda in many countries –Efficient collection and use/reuse of data –Standardisation of processes in official statistics, data collection (preferably electronic) editing, storing and processing. –Efficient cooperation with other government bodies in electronic communication with data providers and users of information –Reshaping of official statistics is on the agenda in many countries –Efficient collection and use/reuse of data –Standardisation of processes in official statistics, data collection (preferably electronic) editing, storing and processing. –Efficient cooperation with other government bodies in electronic communication with data providers and users of information

11 Should the NSO accept to have mixed roles – data manager and independent producer of official statistics? Data that is not normally included in official statistics. These data (statistics) may however be published or made transparent to the public (but without ambitions to be labelled official statistics). More official statistics may be produced on contract with other government t bodies Cooperation between NSO and other government agencies will often involve micro data

12 Conclusion Independency has been improved during the last decades. New traditions for government management may have effects on the role and setting for the NSO. It is important to be active and discuss how these new trends may be made consistent with further development of independency for official statistics.