Introduction

The Independent Review of the UK Statistics Authority by Professor Denise Lievesley is a timely and welcome report on the strengths and challenges in the UK’s official statistics system. The UK Statistics Authority is grateful to Professor Lievesley, her Review team, and all those who contributed their time and expertise.

As the Review makes clear, an independent, accountable, outward-looking and properly resourced statistical system is an indispensable part of the civic realm, empowering informed decision-making across society. The very wide range of respondents to the Review – each with their unique requirements and perspectives – is a testament to this breadth of purpose. It is heartening then that public trust in official statistics has remained high in recent years (as measured in the recent Public Confidence in Official Statistics 2023 survey), but we know that there are challenges ahead. In considering the future of the UK’s statistical system, four major themes emerge from the observations and recommendations of the Review:

• engagement and communication with users of statistics;
• the need for more sharing of data across government;
• keeping technical capabilities up to date with new technologies; and
• the coherence of official statistics and data across the UK.

While the Review does not claim to have all the answers to these challenges, its clear articulation of the choices before us will serve as a catalyst for dialogue and improvement. The Authority Board has considered the 19 recommendations made in the Review and accepts their principles, noting that some require long term work to address completely. A detailed response, including commitments for future work, is set out below against each recommendation by both the production and regulation arms of Authority. The Authority will also engage with the Government on recommendations regarding data sharing and UK-wide data. All this work will be guided by the views of users of statistics as expressed in the Statistics Assembly and the wider public represented there.

Finally, the Authority Board is grateful to all of those who work within the Authority (across the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR)) and the wider Government Statistical System. This Review rightly recognises the outstanding professionalism and dedication of all who contribute to the mission set by Parliament: to promote and safeguard official statistics that serve the public good.