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Transcript of European Statistics System Peer Review Emma Wright & Laura Clarke Survey Methodology & Statistical...
European Statistics SystemPeer Review
Emma Wright & Laura Clarke
Survey Methodology & Statistical Computing, ONS
GSS Methodology Symposium, 1 July 2015
Outline
• European Statistics Code of Practice
• ESS Peer Review Process
• UK Assessment
• Recommendations for UK Statistical System
• How does the UK compare to other EU countries?
European Statistics Code of Practice
• First adopted by the European Statistical System Committee (ESSC) in February 2005
• The Code was revised in 2011 and adopted by the ESSC in September 2011
European Statistics Code of Practice
• Aims to ensure that ESS statistics are relevant, timely, accurate, and comply with principles of professional independence, impartiality & objectivity
• Code is based on 15 principles
15 Principles of European Code of PracticeProfessional
IndependenceMandate for Data
CollectionAdequacy of Resources
Commitment to Quality
Statistical Confidentiality
Impartiality and Objectivity
Sound methodology Appropriate statistical procedures
Non-excessive burden on
respondents
Cost Effectiveness
Relevance Accuracy and Reliability
Timeliness and Punctuality
Coherence and Comparability
Accessibility and Clarity
European Statistics Code of Practice
• Aims to ensure that ESS statistics are relevant, timely, accurate, and comply with principles of professional independence, impartiality & objectivity
• Code is based on 15 principles concerning the institutional environment, statistical processes and outputs
15 Principles of European Code of PracticeProfessional
IndependenceMandate for Data
CollectionAdequacy of Resources
Commitment to Quality
Statistical Confidentiality
Impartiality and Objectivity
Sound methodology Appropriate statistical procedures
Non-excessive burden on
respondents
Cost Effectiveness
Relevance Accuracy and Reliability
Timeliness and Punctuality
Coherence and Comparability
Accessibility and Clarity
European Statistics Code of Practice
• Aims to ensure that ESS statistics are relevant, timely, accurate, and comply with principles of professional independence, impartiality & objectivity
• Code is based on 15 principles concerning the institutional environment, statistical processes and outputs
15 Principles of European Code of PracticeProfessional
IndependenceMandate for Data
CollectionAdequacy of Resources
Commitment to Quality
Statistical Confidentiality
Impartiality and Objectivity
Sound methodology Appropriate statistical procedures
Non-excessive burden on
respondents
Cost Effectiveness
Relevance Accuracy and Reliability
Timeliness and Punctuality
Coherence and Comparability
Accessibility and Clarity
European Statistics Code of Practice
• Aims to ensure that ESS statistics are relevant, timely, accurate, and comply with principles of professional independence, impartiality & objectivity
• Code is based on 15 principles concerning the institutional environment, statistical processes and outputs
15 Principles of European Code of PracticeProfessional
IndependenceMandate for Data
CollectionAdequacy of Resources
Commitment to Quality
Statistical Confidentiality
Impartiality and Objectivity
Sound methodology Appropriate statistical procedures
Non-excessive burden on
respondents
Cost Effectiveness
Relevance Accuracy and Reliability
Timeliness and Punctuality
Coherence and Comparability
Accessibility and Clarity
European Statistics Code of Practice
Principle Description & Indicators
Mandate for Data Collection
Statistical authorities have a clear legal mandate to collect information for European statistical purposes. Administrations, enterprises and households, and the public at large may be compelled by law to allow access or to deliver data for European statistical purposes at the request of the statistical authorities• The mandate of the statistical authorities (SAs) to collect information for the development, production and dissemination of European Statistics is specified in law.• The SAs are allowed by law to use administrative data for statistical purposes.• On the basis of a legal act, the SAs may compel response to statistical surveys.
• For each of the 15 principles, a set of indicators of good practice for provides a reference for measuring the implementation of the Code, for example:
• Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (ESS QAF) developed to assist implementation of European Code of Practice; it identifies possible activities, methods and tools that can provide guidance and evidence for the implementation of the indicators
ESS Peer Review - Background (1)
• ESS Peer Review programme has two objectivesTo assess credibility of the ESSTo reassure stakeholders about the quality and
trustworthiness of the statistics produced by the ESS
• First ESS Peer Review of UK Statistical System in 2007 only looked at 7 of the 15 principles of European Code – recommendations concerned:
• Improving the website• Standardising/modernising statistical and IT systems• Developing electronic data collection• Quality reporting
ESS Peer Reviews – Background (2)
• ESSC agreed to second round of Peer Reviews in 2012, this time assessing compliance all 15 principles of European Code
• Methodology developed by Task Force and approved by ESSC in 2013:
• Self-assessment questionnaires completed by NSIs• Follow-up visit by Peer Reviewers• Participation by ‘Other National Authorities’ (ONAs)• Reporting, Recommendations and Improvement Actions
• Peer Reviews commenced autumn 2014 and will be completed summer 2015
UK Peer Review Assessment
• Three self-assessment questionnaires (SAQs) completed by ONS/Authority (as NSI) in April 2014:
• Compliance with the Code of Practice (128 pages!)• Coordination role of the NSI within the National
Statistical System• Cooperation/level of integration achieved by the ESS
• Three ONAs (DEFRA, HMRC and Scottish Government) also completed short questionnaires
• Follow-up visit by Peer Reviewers in January 2015
• Peer Review report for UK published March 2015 and UK Improvement Actions published June 2015
Peer Review Visit to the UK
• 5th – 9th January 2015, Newport (with video link to London as required)
• Assessors:• Hallgrimur Snorrason (Iceland)• Jan Byfuglien (Norway)• Hilkka Vihavainen (Finland)
• Over the course of the week, the assessors met with:• John Pullinger, Glen Watson and Directors• Sir Andrew Dilnot and Ed Humpherson• ONS staff (14 DDs and 16 other “experts”)• ONAs (DEFRA, HMRC and Scottish Government)• 12 “junior” staff (SEO and below)• Main Users (HMT, BoE, HO, DH, SUF, BBC)• Scientific Community (ESRC, RSS, DUG, Southampton Uni)
Strengths of UK statistical system identified by Peer Reviewers
• UK Code of Practice and UKSA Assessment
• UK Statistics Authority monitoring of use of statistics by government
• Coordination and integration within GSS
• Professional independence, transparency and openness
• Good relationships with users, media and academia
• Emphasis on quality
• Training and development
Recommendations to further compliance with European Code
• 16 recommendations as to how compliance with the European Code could be improved under the following headings:
Using administrative data
Restricting pre-release access
Increasing the efficiency of the statistical system
Making UK statistics more accessible
Improving the clarity, coherence and independence of the UK statistical system
Recommendations & Actions
Using Administrative Data (1 recommendation):
• UKSA/ONS should continue to seek agreements on new legislation to authorise, encourage and facilitate the use of admin data for statistical purposes
Recommendations & Actions
Using Administrative Data
• UKSA/ONS should continue to seek agreements on new legislation to authorise, encourage and facilitate the use of admin data for statistical purposes
Improvement Action:
Engagement with Cabinet Office to push for policy change in next Parliament; In meantime, will utilise existing legislation to pursue new data sharing opportunities
Recommendations & Actions
Restricting Pre-release Access (1 recommendation):
• Current pre-release access practices should be (at a minimum) severely restricted, and ultimately abolished
Recommendations & Actions
Restricting Pre-release Access
• Current pre-release access practices should be (at a minimum) severely restricted, and ultimately abolished
Improvement Action:
UK Statistics Authority welcomes recommendation and will continue to seek abolition of pre-release access and to publically speak out against it as contrary to principle of equality of access
Recommendations & Actions
Increasing the efficiency of the statistical system (6 recommendations):
• Implement standardised software/tools across production processes, including edit & imputation
• Ensure that descriptions of divergences from existing European methodologies should cover all ES
• Compulsory use of Standards and Guidance database to assist in standardisation of methods/procedures/tools
• Resume regular consultations with business data suppliers
• Intensify efforts to modernise data collection in order to reduce costs & burden
• Review the structure/content of metadata and ensure consistency with European standards
Recommendations & Actions
Increasing the efficiency of the statistical system
Improvement Actions:
• Further develop standardised platforms for statistical production within ONS
• Identify where statistics feed into ES and explain divergences from European Statistics methodologies
• Create Board to manage respondent burden and re-launch small business forum
• Continue Electronic Data Programme and further explore benefits of using admin/big data to reduce data collection
• Develop metadata standards and undertake work to better understand user need for quality information
Recommendations & Actions
Making UK statistics more accessible (4 recommendations):
• Implement solutions at GSS level to provide an enhanced overview of and access to UK statistics in general
• Continue and intensify efforts to upgrade ONS website and offer more flexible possibilities for data extraction
• Initiate actions at GSS level to establish a common template for describing the metadata of different outputs
• Develop and implement remote access to microdata for research purposes
Recommendations & Actions
Making UK statistics more accessible
Improvement Actions:
• Release calendar on GOV.UK already delivered; Improve user experience around looking for official statistics online
• Develop Beta version of new ONS website building on Alpha prototype
• Upgrade Virtual Microdata Laboratory (VML) to be accessible to Public Services Network (PSN) users
Recommendations & Actions
Improving the clarity, coherence and independence of the UK statistical system (4 recommendations):
• Continue to systematically engage with ministers and HOPs on the use of the designation of official/National statistics
• Continue efforts to sharpen the boundaries between statistical and administrative roles within the GSS
• Strengthen efforts to harmonise UK statistics to ensure coherence and comparability within UK, over time and among producers
• Review and update the UK Code of Practice and harmonise with European Code
Recommendations & Actions
Improving the clarity, coherence and independence of the UK statistical system
Improvement Actions:
• Publish statement about National Statistics including latest thinking on boundary between official statistics and other quantitative information
• Review and confirm roles and responsibilities of statistical Heads of Profession
• Continue to progress and promote harmonisation agenda, especially business surveys & admin data
• Publish report on impact of UK Code since 2009 and view on whether should be revised
•
What’s next?
• Requirement for progress against improvement actions to be reported on an annual basis over next four years
• Peer Reviews continue into the summer, and a final report looking across all EU countries will be published by Eurostat in the autumn
Further InformationEuropean Statistics Code of Practice:
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/quality/european-statistics-code-of-practice
Peer Review Reports & Improvement Actions:http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/quality/peer-reviews
How does the UK compare with other EU countries?
France:18 recommendations...
• quality reporting• access to microdata• metadata• legal independence
Germany:28 recommendations...
• standardisation• IT security• admin data• quality reporting & metadata• legal independence
How does the UK compare with other EU countries?
Spain:14 recommendations...
• access to microdata• security of microdata• standardisation• admin data
Bulgaria:28 recommendations...
• staff skills• project management• quality management• management style• user consultation
How does the UK compare with other EU countries?
Sweden:18 recommendations...
• user consultation• user satisfaction survey• electronic data collection• admin data
Slovenia:17 recommendations...
• quality reviews• respondent burden• access to microdata• fixed release dates• adequacy of funding
Thank you.........
???Any Questions?
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