1. Atkinson Review – Looking Back
Eurostat workshop 27 May 2005
Aileen Simkins, Co-Director

2. How did we do it? Direct line to National Statistician
Experience of how Departments think, public service goals and measurement
Strong links with Departments at senior level
Action plans with goals and precise deliverables
Ministers interested but not interfering
Tight deadline
Press interest – negative, but challenging

3. How Departments see it
Our services, our issues, our measures – what are National Accounts?
Changing Ministerial policies, priorities – data concepts and definitions change; often no long time series
Data collection seen as burden on front line
Depth of knowledge of service, legislation, reasons for trends - but not always the first person you ask

4. Measuring public services – subjective, political?
Services funded from taxes so public/political interest
Health, education, crime matter to families and communities
Non-market services to individuals are received as subjective experience
Views of users, pressure groups, press, politicians tell which subjective issues matter as ‘value’
But much scope for distortion – seek out objective research
Choices on what data are measured and published may be biased – towards higher spending/higher growth

5. Conclusion
Public service measurement needs to engage Departments responsible for services
Need senior commitment, drive, deadlines
Build knowledge of services, range of expertise, find the story behind the numbers
Keep up to date – public service measures decay fast
Worth doing for public accountability