1. Use of administrative data for statistical purposes
John Cornish

2. UN Principles Principle 5
Data for statistical purposes may be drawn from all types of sources, be they statistical surveys or administrative records. Statistical agencies are to choose the source with regard to quality, timeliness, costs and the burden on respondents.

3. Opportunities to use admin data vary across countries
Different levels of govt
Public attitudes
Concerns to reduce reporting loads
Computerisation & maintenance of records

4. Statistical uses of admin data
Input to registers
Frames for survey selection, with stratification
Benchmarks for survey estimation
Data source – fully in own right or partially as auxiliary information for survey estimation
Linking to enrich other sources
Quality validation

5. Advantages Reduces load on respondents
Can be less expensive than direct collection
‘Full’ coverage avoids sampling error & allows estimates to be produced for small areas and subgroups
Longitudinal analysis

6. Disadvantages
No direct control over source – can be stopped, reduced in coverage, changes made to definitions etc,
Often created decentralised with variations across sources
Units are often not ideal
Limited explanatory variables restricts richness
Timeliness can be an issue
Records may not be computerised NB Usually produce estimates different from direct statistical collection which need to be explained

7. Quality & skills issues
Not necessarily lesser quality than direct collection, just different quality to understand & manage
Coverage
Consistency over sources & time
Non-standard variables
Missing data
Timeliness
Statistical techniques needed for
Coverage adjustments
Handling late or missing records, duplicates
Modelling & linking

8. Statistical vs administrative use
Important distinction
NSO should avoid involvement with administrative use and mixing uses
Hence separate out statistical use

9. Strategies for increasing use
Government support
Organisational commitment
from the top
Set goals eg reducing response loads
Develop relationships with data sources
Understand quality and its management

10. Relationships are critical
Need understanding on both sides
Work on relationships at all levels
Offer help and expertise (skills, systems, coders, outputs)
Helps to create a win-win situation (eg produce statistics needed by source owners)
Back up with Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

11. Admin records are pervasive
Compulsory/legal requirements – taxation
Entitlements, benefits – social security
Registers – people, events eg births
Transactions – imports/exports, hospital visits
Financial records – hospitals, govt agencies
Enrolments – schools
Environmental data

12. Business Registers
Taxation systems usually provide comprehensive coverage of businesses
Ideal source of a frame for economic surveys
But also valuable source of statistics

13. Population & Social Births, deaths
Government social programs usually produce admin records
Health – cause of death, hospital morbidity
Education – enrolments, qualifications
Social welfare