EU Code of Practice Peer Review 2006 – 8 :A Peer’s Perspective Frank Nolan Office for National Statistics UK

Q20082 Contents What I plan to cover Peer Review Process Challenges Lessons

Q20083 Code of Practice 15 Principles 3 sections –Governance –Processes –Outputs Many Indicators

Q The Peer Review Process

Q20085 Peer Review Objectives Enhance accountability and Build trust in the integrity of the ESS, its processes and outputs Transparency Sharing Best Practice

Q20086 Peer Review Scope The NSI of the country –NOT other producers (Central Bank) EU statistics –Difficult in practice to not consider all Principles 1 – 6 and 15 –Assessment for all 15 principles

Q20087 Peer Review Outcome Published Report –Agreed with team –Agreed with Eurostat Desk –Agreed with NSI Best Practice Improvement Actions

Q20088 Peer Review Team Three members –Two from NSIs –One from Eurostat –Not from reviewed NSI Senior staff - experienced

Q20089 Peer Reviewers Training One Day in Brussels Interactive sessions Common Understanding Principles Common Understanding grading Fully met / largely met / partly met / not met

Q Peer Review Work Programme Preliminary Reading –NSI documentation –NSI web site, etc Preliminary meeting 3 Day visit to NSI Post visit writing Post visit agreement on report

Q Peer Review NSI Visit Interviews with –Director General –Executive staff –Users – Bank, Treasury –Trade unions, Employers organisations –Media –Statistical Council –Junior staff On behalf of EU

Q Peer Review Work Allocation Principles 1-6 and 15 –2 or 3 for each reviewer –Read, Question, Write up Best Practice / Coordination roles Team leader –leads discussions, meetings –Guiding and Sign Off of Report –Coordinates with NSI and Eurostat

Q Peer Review Documentation A Peers Guide –Version 2 Administrative instructions Report template Guide to questions for each indicator and interviewee A Country Guide

Q Challenges

Q Lack of Time Additional to current full time job Considerable material to read before visit Considerable amount of material to assimilate in three days The NSI visit was just the beginning of the end!

Q Lack of Time Example - Reading Countries self assessment Comparison with all self assessments Statistical Law Statistical Policies Statistical plans and programmes Annual reports User survey results Statistical releases Web site

Q Lack of Time Example - Cyprus Tuesday Night meeting in Nicosia Wednesday meeting with Director and senior staff Meeting with confidentiality committee Meeting with Data Dissemination Officer Meeting with Ministry of Agriculture, Civil Registry, Inland Revenue Thursday – 8 hours of meetings including media, Bank, Ministry of Finance, users, junior staff Thursday – draft, collate and agree Improvement actions Thursday – draft overview

Q Lack of Time Example - Cyprus Friday present overview to Director and full senior management team Discuss each of six Principles and related improvement Friday Discuss overview and improvement actions with Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance

Q Languages and Culture Review conducted in English Materials translated into English Not how we do it at home Lack of common English in teams

Q Dynamic nature of the process Self Assessment taken late 2005 –some time before visit Continuous Improvement Improvement Actions sometimes undertaken immediately

Q Static Nature of process Law and legislation Staffing and Finance Methods Information technology

Q Sorting What is Important Large amount of information collected Decisions on what is important for Code?? Decisions on what is achievable

Q Lessons

Q Did it Add Value?? Gave an overview Created some changes Created awareness across NSIs Highlighted strengths and limitations Added knowledge / shared best practice Provided a focus on quality within NSI Provided a base for increased Trust

Q The NSI Agenda What NSIs want out of the process More money More staff / updated IT International recognition –doing well [league table – most points] Changes –next slide

Q The NSI Agenda What NSIs want out of the process Changes –New Statistical Law – Iceland –Higher status of DG – Cyprus Impetus –The kick to get things started / finished

Q Other People’s Agenda What Others want out of the process Changes –Less macro economic forecasting – Norway Bank –More access to unit record data ….

Q Other Lessons Significant commitment from NSI senior managers – a lot of time Excellent hospitality EU commitments were often significant for small countries

Q Thanks to; the teams that I worked with, –The Eurostat staff, Martina and Solvegia; and –to the staff of Statistics Iceland, Statistics Norway and Cystat. Thank You