1. Using administrative data for official statistics Samson NOUGBODOHOUE Statistician Statistics Division African Union Commission ASSD 2-4 November 2016 Tunis, Tunisia

2. Administrative data: Main features O While primary data are those collected for the purpose of official statistics and by statistical offices (and other producers of official statistics) secondary data are collected for other purposes than statistics. O Mainly, but not exclusively, secondary data stem from government agencies other than statistical offices. Statistical offices call them administrative data.

3. Six main scenarios for administrative data in official statistics (1,2,3) 1. The government agency collecting the data is not capable to produce statistics out of them. Thus the statistical office as the country‘s competent agency comes in to do it. 2. The government agency collecting the data would be capable to produce statistics out of them. But for the sake of specialization (possibly politically intended) the job is given to the statistical office. 3. As a matter of principle (political hygiene) and for the sake of impartiality the production of all official statistics (including those from administrative sources) is given to the NSI, possibly even by explicit political will.

4. Six main scenarios for administrative data in official statistics (4,5,6) 4. The government agencies collecting the data are many and it needs to bundle them. In this case the NSI also functions in collecting the data. 5. Administrative data are just one of several other components of multi-source based official statistics as, for example, production indices or NA. 6. Administrative data are not object of official statistics themselves. They instead are used for the preparation of list frames for censuses or surveys for primary statistics. Special case would be the utilization for a statistical business register. Mergers of scenarios 1 to 6 are also possible, of course.

5. Advantages of using administrative data O It is trivial that using data for statistical purposes which are already collected saves costs and sometimes even time. O Administrative data can be more comprehensive and more accurate than data from primary statistics as the authorities may have tough auditing mechanisms for them, e.g. tax data, while for primary statistics the NSIs depend on the good will of their respondents. O Some domains are by their very nature not accessible for inquiries through statistical offices themselves. It needs police stations, clinics, courts of justice etc as reporting intermediaries. And often special knowledge of these intermediaries is needed (death statistics, diagnose statistics, …).

6. Administrative data: Common examples O Vital statistics delineated from population registers O Education statistics made of data from the respective ministry. O Health statistics made out of data from hospitals and clinics. O Tax statistics made out of anonymized tax declarations on income, sales or wealth. O Crime statistics made out of records of police stations. O Employment statistics made out of records of social security systems, government records or employment agencies. O Building licence statistics out of construction permits...

7. Problems with administrative data (1) O As the primary purpose of collecting them is not statistics administrative data do not necessarily follow the same definitions, classifications and regional and time references as their utilization for statistical purposes would require. O If not clarified by law the statistical offices depend on the good will of the collecting agencies to provide the data in time, in format, in scope and in accuracy as desired. O The statistical agencies are sitting at the end of the pipe of data delivery. If it turns out that data seems to be implausible then for clarification they have to go back to the goverment agency. Direct contact to the original provider of the data (person or company or institution) is usually not possible.

8. Problems with administrative data (2) O The government agencies often are very lenient in collecting those data which in their eyes are „just for statistics“, e..g. the social status of an applicant for a building permit. O In difficult cases of applying statistical classifications they tend to decide on positions which the classification offers for „other …“. O The government agency may have a problem when the results of statistics differ from figures they already produced internally out of the same data. Therefore reconciliation with them is necessary. The question of the „ownership“ of the data may come up.

9. How to overcome the problems? (1) O Reduce the burden for the agency to a minimum. Do not demand more accuracy and details from them as needed. O Train the relevant staff in the government agencies. O Explain them the consequences poor administrative data may have on political decisions or indicators. O Give feedback of the corrections made by the statistical offices. O Hold regular meetings to sort out unnecessary problems.

10. How to overcome the problems? (2) O Involve them when changes of statistical definitions or classifications are lying ahead and are to be debated. O Reconcile your list of plausibility checks with them and ask them to share their plans of changing the questionnaires and/or their software with you as well. O Reconcile publication of the results with them when it is necessary to highlight problems or specialities (e.g. changes of legal definitions or changes of administrative procedures) lying in the performance of the government agency.

11. Thank you for your kind attention http://www.au.int/en/ea