The UK Statistics Authority has noted with concern the publication and subsequent correction of miscalculated estimates of Output in Construction by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 12 August 2011. The Authority is awaiting a report from ONS on how this came about.

The Statistics Authority is aware of various long-standing concerns about the quality of the data from which these statistics are prepared. Some of these concerns have been resolved since the transfer of responsibility to the ONS from the former Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in 2008 but some are still the subject of ongoing development work by the ONS.

The Statistics Authority will be undertaking its own independent inquiry into all relevant matters relating to construction statistics, and the Authority’s findings will be published.

Sir Michael Scholar, Chair of the UK Statistics Authority, has, separately, written today to Stephen Penneck, Director General of ONS, about wider issues relating to statistics on GDP. Sir Michael’s letter is available on the UK Statistics Authority’s website.

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