Expanding the Scope of National Statistics

Whilst the National Statistics Framework makes it clear that Departmental Ministers (and Ministers in devolved administrations) ´decide the scope of National Statistics´, the National Statistician has the ultimate authority to determine whether or not a statistical output meets the professional standards he has set for National Statistics. This requires professional statistical input into the decision-making process.

It is therefore important to establish a set of agreed procedures for bringing any set of statistics into the fold so that Departments and Agencies can start the planning process. ONS´s National Statistics Policy Division has proposed the stepwise procedure outlined in the following paragraphs:-

Minor

For routine expansion to scope, the process should be straightforward.

The appropriate Head of Profession/Chief Statistician should liaise with NSPD prior to sending a letter to the National Statistician informing him of the proposal to bring a particular output within scope, the degree to which the output meets NS quality standards and any limitations on the use of the data .

Assuming the National Statistician is content, the HOP should then inform the appropriate Minister by submission that the former agrees to the proposal. If the Minister is content then he or she should inform the HOP/Chief Statistician as appropriate who in turn should inform the National Statistician.

All relevant parties should institute the normal practical arrangements for bringing the output within scope:

• the NS flag on StatBase should be amended
• Departmental websites should be amended to reflect the change
• All changes should also be recorded for later inclusion in the National Statistics Annual Report.
  

Major changes to scope

The appropriate Head of Profession should make a written approach to the National Statistician and, if appropriate, the Chief Statisticians in devolved administrations, copying correspondence to the appropriate TWG Chair. Such an approach should include an assurance from the Head of Profession that in their professional judgement, the output meets the requirements normally associated with NS. This would include:  

• produced in accordance with the Code of Practice and underlying protocols
• meets acceptable quality standards
• suitable metadata are publicly available
• the ´analysis of current practice´ template has been completed
• appropriate and transparent methodology exists
• the output is scheduled for review in the Quality Review Programme. 
  

If the National Statistician is content, then:

The Head of Profession should formally seek ministerial agreement through a submission including notification of the National Statistician´s (and Chief Statistician(s) if appropriate) endorsement of the proposal.  If the Minister with departmental responsibility for the output is in agreement, s/he should inform the appropriate Head of Profession/Chief Statistician who will, in turn, inform the National Statistician (copied to the EST) that the Minister is content for the National Statistician to bring the output within scope. 

If this proceeds smoothly then,

All relevant parties should institute the normal practical arrangements for bringing the output within scope as outlined above and in addition:

• a press release announcing the change should be issued by the appropriate head of Profession and copied to all those involved in the process and placed prominently on the NS website
• key stakeholders (e.g. Statistics Commission, Treasury Sub-Committee, RSS) should be notified.

Expanding scope in devolved administrations

The appropriate business area should make an informal approach to the relevant devolved Chief Statistician, typically including evidence as outlined above.

The Chief Statistician, if they are professionally satisfied that the output meets National Statistics standards, should seek formal agreement from the National Statistician, copied to the appropriate TWG Chair and all relevant UK Government Department Head(s) of Profession.

If the National Statistician is content, then:

The devolved Chief Statistician should formally seek ministerial agreement through a submission including notification of the National Statistician´s endorsement to the proposal, to all those with policy responsibility for the output in the UK Government and the appropriate devolved assembly. If they agree, ministers should inform the appropriate Chief Statistician, who should then inform the National Statistician, copied to the EST and relevant Head(s) of Profession, that the Minister is content for the National Statistician to bring the output within scope.

If this proceeds smoothly then,

All relevant parties should make practical arrangements as they see fit for bringing the output within scope (see above). Updating StatBase is particularly important as this provides the definitive list of NS outputs.

( N.B. Where the proposed change affects only some(or one) of the devolved administrations, the other(s) should be copied in to all the correspondence so that they may make simultaneous decisions within their own administration(s)).
 
Expanding scope for non-departmental statistics

If, say, the management board of an NGO wishes their statistics to be brought within scope, they should make an informal approach to the Head of Profession of the appropriate parent department (or the Chief Statistician in devolved administrations). Alternatively, the Head of Profession/Chief Statistician can approach the NGO management board.

If the Head of Profession/Chief Statistician is content with the proposal, they should seek formal approval from the National Statistician, outlining their proposal, copied to the appropriate TWG Chair, including evidence to show that: 

• the output currently meets, and will continue to meet, existing and future professional standards necessary to become a National Statistic, including the Code of Practice and all underlying protocols
• any existing or future quality assurance processes will be observed, including the quality review programme
• any other policies or practices adopted for National Statistics will be adhered to, including making data available free of charge through StatBase to not-for-profit end users.

If the National Statistician is content then,

The Head of Profession of the parent department (or Chief Statistician) should formally seek ministerial agreement from all Ministers with policy responsibility for the output (copying this to the National Statistician) including notification of the National Statistician´s endorsement of the proposal. If they agree, ministers should inform the appropriate Head of Profession/Chief Statistician, who should then inform the National Statistician (copied to the EST and NGO management board) that the Minister is content for the National Statistician to bring the output within scope. 

Assuming this runs smoothly then all relevant parties should make practical arrangements as they see fit for bringing the output within scope (see above). Updating StatBase is particularly important as this provides the definitive list of NS outputs.