Statistics
The Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 defines 'official statistics' as all those statistical outputs produced by the UK Statistics Authority's executive office (the Office for National Statistics), by other central Government departments and agencies, by the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and by other Crown bodies (over 200 bodies in total). This definition goes much wider, therefore, than the portfolio of statistical outputs produced by members of the Government Statistical Service (GSS).
The Act also allows ministers to decree, through secondary legislation, which non-Crown Bodies produce official statistics so that they, too, can be subject to monitoring by the Board and be eligible for assessment as 'National Statistics' (NS). This provision is designed to ensure a broad definition of official statistics from the start, as well as a flexible one which can be adapted over time to suit changing circumstances.
The term 'official statistics', therefore, embraces several categories of statistics produced by public bodies:
- 'National Statistics' - certified as Code-compliant
- statistics produced by the GSS that are not 'National Statistics'
- statistics produced by Crown Bodies but not under the professional management of the GSS
- statistics produced by non-Crown Bodies, and listed in secondary legislation (for example, an Order)
What are 'National Statistics'?
'National Statistics' are a subset of official statistics which have been nominated by ministers for assessment by the UK Statistics Authority and certified by the UK Statistics Authority as compliant with its Code of Practice for Statistics. The label currently comprise three basic types:
- legacy 'National Statistics' - those statistical products which obtained their designation as 'National Statistics' before April 2008, in accordance with the arrangements set out in the 'Framework for National Statistics' (2000) and which have retained their status, but which have not yet been formally re-assessed by the UK Statistics Authority for compliance with its Code of Practice
- re-assessed 'National Statistics' - any statistical product which has had its retained NS status confirmed by the UK Statistics Authority after a formal re-assessment of compliance
- new 'National Statistics' - any statistical product which has been proposed by ministers as a candidate for ‘National Statistics’ status, which has been subject to its first formal assessment by the UK Statistics Authority and which, as a result, has been granted accreditation by the Statistics Authority
For a complete list of all National Statistics, see Statistics types.
Accredited 'National Statistics' are identified by the following Kitemark:
