Dear Ed,
Office for Statistics Regulation External Scrutiny Programme
Thank you for sharing in high-level terms your proposal to enhance the governance procedures for the UK statistical system’s production of economic statistics now that we have left Eurostat, via an External Scrutiny Programme. I am sorry a reply has taken so long.
My colleagues on NSCASE and I welcome the opportunity to continue to provide input on the design of this extension of your role. We have a strong and shared interest in assuring our users that our key economic statistics are of the highest quality.
We agree that the pilot on PPIs you are currently undertaking will be useful in developing the new arrangements and look forward to working with you as appropriate as it proceeds. In particular it will be a good way to ensure that your new assessments do not overlap with any advice on classifications NSCASE may wish to make.
We are pleased to see that you will draw on international experts. Where NSCASE is in a position to offer expert advice or offer any other form of help, we will be extremely happy to do so.
We appreciate the OSR’s focus on international comparability. Nevertheless, please be aware that international comparability is only one of the criteria that NSCASE uses when deciding on what advice to offer the National Statistician. In particular, UK specific factors may lead NSCASE to advise departure from the international norms for very good reasons. Any such reasons will be set out clearly in our minutes.
My colleagues and I look forward to engaging with you on the next level of detail of the proposals as the pilot progresses.
I look forward to our meeting on Thursday.
Yours,
Martin Weale
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