Monitoring and reporting

One of the Statistics Authority's statutory functions is to monitor the production and publication of official statistics across the UK, from collection through to dissemination. This role draws on some of the duties assigned to the Statistics Commission and to the National Statistician in 2000, as set out in the 'Framework for National Statistics'.

The Statistics Authority can report its findings about official statistics to the person responsible for those statistics, usually the relevant departmental minister or the relevant devolved administration. This enables the Board to either comment reactively to any statistical concerns brought to its attention or proactively, for example by developing its own programme of work to fulfil this duty.

Professor Adrian Smith - one of the Statistics Authority's two Deputy Chairs - has responsibility for promoting the production and publication of all official statistics across the UK.