The Cabinet Office has launched a recruitment process to appoint the next Chair of the UK Statistics Authority.
The successful candidate will lead the UK Statistics Authority Board, which oversees the work of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR), and the wider statistical system.
Incumbent Chair of the Authority, Sir Robert Chote, announced his resignation in July in preparation to take up his role as President of Trinity College, Oxford. Sir Robert will step down from the Authority at the end of September.
Penny Young, Deputy Chair of the Authority Board, will take over in the interim period before the final appointment of the next Chair.
Sir Robert Chote said:
“It has been a privilege to chair the Authority over the last three years. As our five-year strategy, Statistics for the Public Good, draws to its conclusion, the Authority is looking for new leaders to reflect on the recent challenges and chart a new path to restore confidence in key economic official statistics. I am delighted and grateful that Penny will be picking up the baton while we await the appointment of my successor. She will bring strong values, an open spirit and breadth of expertise, and I wish her and the Authority every success in future.”
Penny Young said:
“Our thanks go to Sir Robert for leading the Authority through what has been a challenging period, and the Board wishes him all the best in his new role at Trinity College. As someone who has worked in different parts of the statistics and research environment, I am committed to the Authority’s purpose of promoting and safeguarding official statistics that serve the public good, and I look forward to working with the next Chair of the Authority once appointed. The Board will continue to work hard to support the ONS as it focuses on improvement, and recognises just how committed its people are to the organisation’s vital mission.”