6. International perspective on the UK statistical system

Beyond the sessions on particular topics, the Assembly also hosted presentations from people outside the UK statistical system, to give an international perspective. Key messages from those presentations included that:

• the UK system was highly regarded internationally, and that weaknesses in a particular area should not be taken as representative of the whole
• some issues are wider than the UK system, and have to be tackled internationally and collaboratively
• the importance and challenges of data sharing are universal
• it is important to appreciate that the data infrastructure is greater than merely the ONS
• the breadth of the range of technologies and data sources needed
• the need to show citizens how data was being used was true internationally
• the concept of hardwiring agility and proactivity into the statistical system was enthusiastically recognised
• the need to do more with less resource by identifying lower-value activities, better prioritisation, and taking advantage of technological advance was universal