Next meeting: 26 March 2026, London Boardroom

Members Present

• Penny Young (Chair)
• Dr. Jacob Abboud
• Peter Barron
• Ed Humpherson
• Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter
• Professor Mairi Spowage
• Darren Tierney
• Dr. Sarah Walsh

Other Attendees

• James Benford
• Jason Bradbury (for item 9)
• June Bowman
• Megan Cooper (for item 10)
• Kate Davies (for item 11)
• Dr Sarah Cumbers (for item 9)
• Lucinda Eggleton (for item 6)
• Mary Gregory
• Sarah Jennings (observer)
• Alex Lambert (for items 11&12)
• Jane Naylor (for item 9)
• Ian O’Sullivan (for item 12)
• Tom Taylor

Secretariat

• Sally Jones
• Harlan Matthews

Apologies

• Professor Dame Carol Propper

1. Apologies

1. Apologies were noted from Professor Dame Carol Propper.

2. Declarations of Interest

1. Ed Humpherson informed the meeting that he had joined the Ada Lovelace Institute’s Oversight Board. There is no conflict of interest with this Board.

3. Minutes and matters arising from previous meetings

1. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 29 January were agreed.

4. Report from the Authority Chair [SA(26)09]

1. The Chair reported on her activities since the Board last met, highlighting the ongoing work to consider the Board’s priorities for the next six months including engagement with the Deputy Heads of the Government Statistical Service (GSS) and Chief Statisticians of the Devolved Governments. The Board set out its priorities in its letter to UK Statistical System in October. As part of the Non-Executive Director programme of activities a session had been held on the Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS).
2. The appointment process for the National Statistician was ongoing and the planning underway for the next NED recruitment.

5. Report from the Permanent Secretary [SA(26)10]

1. Darren Tierney provided the Board with an overview of activity and issues since the last Board meeting highlighting the following:
   1. the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority had undertaken a Gateway Review of the Transformed Labour Force Survey (TLFS) and this would be circulated to the Board;
   2. the Integrated Data Service Lessons Learned provided useful generic learning for ongoing ONS transformation programmes, and again, would be shared with the Board;
   3. following a recruitment process Henry Watson had been appointed as ONS Chief People Officer and Director for People and Places Directorate, and the process for the Director General for Digital, Data and Technology was near completion;
   4. the outcome of the prioritisation process had been announced, following engagement with users;
   5. the business planning process across the organisation had continued at pace including a series of cross-organisational workshops. The final stage of planning would include key prioritisation decisions. The draft business plan was scheduled for March Board; and
   6. the key milestone achieved at the end of January in the Economic Statistics Plan (ESP) with the introduction of supermarket scanner data into the production of consumer price statistics from March 2026.
2. Members discussed the update and highlighted the importance of effectively managing the emerging forecast year end position 2025/26. The forecast budget underspend at year end was being considered by the finance team alongside the Senior Leadership Team. The Executive Committee had earlier agreed an approach to mitigate the underspend but not all had been able to be deployed partly due to constraints around capacity and critical skills. It was noted that on conclusion of the review of the strategic risk profile the finance strategic risk would be split into two risks. One risk would be in relation to finance and one in relation to delivery of ambition, with a proposal to increase the risk appetite to reflect the organisation’s willingness to take more risk in relation to finance and delivery. This approach would help inform the Authority’s financial risk appetite clearly at an earlier point in the financial year when considering 2026/27 budgets. Improving forecasting across the organisation would also be a key area of focus for the finance team. Members noted the need to consider and reflect the progress made over the last year as part of the preparation of the annual report and accounts. Delivery of the Internal Audit Programme 2025/26 would inform the Head of Internal Audit (HIA) annual opinion. There was no indication at this point of this year’s HIA year end opinion. It was noted that other key areas of focus for the senior leadership team included management of projects and programmes underpinned by an effective operating model to ensure sustainable delivery.  In discussion the Board noted the importance of attending to audit actions.
3. The Board heard that the Permanent Secretary was in the process of meeting all directors to discuss their local people survey action plans in response to the People Survey 2025. As part of the organisation wide response a flexible pay case was in development to help address the issues around pay, while acknowledging that pay generally was the lowest scoring answer across the majority of government departments. Nevertheless, the Board were keen to understand why scores were particularly low for the Authority relative to other departments.
4. With regard to the performance report, specifically the level of ONS official statistics accreditations suspended by the Office for Statistics Regulation, it was agreed that further information would be provided for the Board on the wider context of de-accreditations, how many were dependent on or related to the TLFS development, and OSR’s future plans for assessments of ONS statistics.

6. Report from the National Statistician’s Office [SA(26)11]

1. Lucinda Eggleton provided an update on activities across the National Statistician’s Office (NSO) highlighting the following:
   1. the ONS Executive Committee had agreed reporting lines of the National Statistician’s Advisory Committees in the absence of a National Statistician;
   2. following an open competition, Jakob Schneebacher from the Institute for Fiscal Studies had been appointed as a new panel member to the Methodological Assurance Review Panel;
   3. the National Statistician’s Inclusive Data Advisory Committee reviewed and provided comments on the Ethnicity Harmonisation Consultation. These criteria were subsequently considered and endorsed by the Ad Hoc Assurance Panel convened in the absence of a National Statistician;
   4. winners of the Analysis in Government awards had been announced at the end of January including 10 GSS projects as winners, runners-up or highly commended; and
   5. the United Nations Statistical Commission scheduled early March with ONS having strong representation.
2. The Board noted the report and thanks to Lucinda Eggleton and Henry Watson for their work on the NSO operating model following discussion at the last meeting. The outcome would be considered at the March meeting. It was agreed that a report on the UN Statistical Commission would also be provided for the next meeting. With regard to the work on sex harmonised standard members continued to be concerned at the pace of work and the need for practical guidance for statistical producers.

7. Report from the Director General of Regulation [SA(26)12]

1. Ed Humpherson updated the Board on the work by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) since the last meeting. Ed had given evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on Integrity and Ethics on 24 February.
2. OSR had published its findings from its review of ONS’s family spending statistics, which were derived from the living costs and food survey, concluding that they could continue to be published as accredited official statistics. James Benford highlighted the potential delay to the publication of household disposable income planned in March.
3. With regard to casework OSR had written to the Secretary of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry about the presentation of modelling in the Executive Summary of the Module 2 report of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry highlighting that the wording chosen for the Executive Summary was a misleading representation of the underlying analysis.
4. The Board noted the report and would be updated on the potential delay to the publication of disposable income.

8. Communications Update

1. Peter Barron and Sarah Moore reported on recent media coverage and stakeholder sentiment since the last meeting. Media coverage was slightly less in January relating to the lower number of publications and less opportunity for ONS coverage. A proactive approach had been taken to the announcement on 28 January on scanner data, which would be used for consumer prices from March. Liz McKeown had reported on economic statistics on Radio 4 Today interview which had been picked up by 5Live and Radio 2. Other areas covered in February included the census topic consultation and outcome of ONS prioritisation.

9. Government Statistical Service [SA(26)13]

1. The Chair welcomed Jane Naylor and Jason Bradbury, Deputy Head of the GSS and Dr Sarah Cumbers, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Statistical Society. Jane Naylor and Jason Bradbury provided an update on the implementation of the GSS Vision ‘Strength in Numbers’, with a focus on the proposals for a GSS leadership development programme and reflections on the Future Statistician work undertaken with the Royal Statistical Society.
2. The Chair noted thanks on behalf of the Board to Jane Naylor, Jason Bradbury and Steve Ellerd-Elliott for all of their work as Deputy Heads of the GSS. The Chair had joined the GSS Community Call on 12 February, which had provided the opportunity to present a perspective from the Board. The Chair commended the work co-developed by Deputy Heads of the GSS with the RSS with the report on the Future Statistician published on 10 February.
3. Ed Humpherson noted thanks to Deputy Heads of GSS and GSS colleagues for their professional commitment demonstrated in embracing the refreshed Code of Practice for Statistics.
4. Members discussed the update. The following comments were made in discussion:
   1. the importance and value of continuing professional development to support each career stage of government statisticians with full support for the approach outlined. Anecdotal feedback reflected a range of experiences;
   2. the issues of pay and progression and the need to maximise opportunities for movement by statisticians across the statistical system including mentoring, shadowing, secondments and working across teams, in the context of headcount reductions across departments and a small number of Senior Civil Service statistical roles (at pay band three);
   3. the need to inspire the next generation of future statisticians and establish a clear, sustainable talent pipeline, which would support long-term career pathways within the GSS with a focus on senior talent pipelines;
   4. the value of opportunities for statisticians to volunteer for Task and Finish Groups, such as the opportunity offered by the Deputy Head of GSS role;
   5. the impact of the GSS Fast Stream as an accelerated development programme to senior leadership. Feedback suggested that those on the fast stream sometimes choose to leave the programme early to take alternative opportunities; and
   6. empowering statisticians to counter misinformation and build public trust by developing communication strategies and skills, working alongside the RSS and OSR.
5. The Board noted thanks for the work undertaken and endorsed the approach and next steps for taking forward a GSS leadership development/talent management programme, noting that support would need to be provided by the National Statistician’s Office. This work would be a core part of the National Statistician role. The Board supported the next steps on the Future Statistician role noting that the review and update of the competency frameworks through the GSS People Advisory Group would be a significant task. It was clarified that the timeline for implementation could take up to two years to be fully embedded.

10. Economic Statistics Plan [SA(26)14]

1. Megan Cooper introduced a paper which provided an update on delivery of the ESP including risks and challenges. Areas of challenge relating to red milestones included the adoption of the Statistical Business Register, Annual Survey of Hours and Earning (ASHE) transformation and trade in goods methodology review. It was acknowledged that delivery of the plan was dependent on capacity from enabling partners across ONS. The ONS Executive Committee were actively managing prioritisation decisions in relation to constrained resources. An audit of ESP governance and delivery was ongoing and would report to the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee in May.
2. Members discussed the update. The following comments were made in discussion:
   1. sequencing of the next ESP publication in April had been agreed to ensure members had the opportunity to comment at the right time ahead of publication;
   2. key performance indicators would be incorporated into the April publication. It would also set out progress delivery including the scale of delay;
   3. an integrated baseline plan with milestones for ESP and SIEP would be produced following the business planning process;
   4. the business planning process would help inform sequencing of work, placing some activity in the ‘waiting room’, in order to focus on highest priority areas to address quality issues, (informed by the tiering framework for surveys and statistics);
   5. the importance of stakeholder engagement and transparent communications for stakeholders and users; and
   6. the work on population statistics current red milestones related to the need for more engagement around developing new fertility assumptions. It was clarified that the work would assume the policy stays the same, (that the projections are primarily driven by past demographic trends rather than government policy levers), which had been the approach taken for improved migration methods for long term migration statistics.
3. The Board noted the update. It was agreed that further information would be provided for the Board on trade in methodology review. The next quarterly update on delivery planned for April was scheduled for March Board meeting.

11. Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan [SA(26)15]

1. Kate Davies introduced a paper which provided an update on delivery of the Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan with a focus on business surveys.
2. As already discussed in the meeting challenges relating to the adoption of the Statistical Business Register and ASHE transformation were being managed. An independent review of the Statistical Business Register (SBR) project was ongoing. The Executive Committee were managing prioritisation decisions around limited digital services resources – and had agreed an approach to digital resources for both the Census Test and International Annual Business Survey (IABS) to maximise delivery across both areas of work. It was noted that legacy systems remain a risk to delivery of the SIEP. Prioritisation as part of the business planning process would help mitigate this risk.
3. With regard to business survey non-response and enforcement approach for large businesses a streamlined and educational approach to enforcement was being piloted and proving effective.
4. Members discussed the update. The following comments were made in discussion:
   1. the ongoing work to deliver ONS recovery plans would help address legacy issues, including the work on the SBR, IABS and TLFS;
   2. prioritisation as part of business planning would help inform a longer term plan to address legacy issues; and
   3. the strategic approach to legacy transformation would need a business change approach with integrated planning across the organisation.
5. The Board noted the update and endorsed the refreshed approach to the enforcement approach for large businesses.

12. Social Survey Strategy [SA(26)16]

1. Alex Lambert and Ian O’Sullivan introduced a paper which set out the proposed scope for an ONS social survey strategy. The strategy would be made up of two parts: a long-term vision and a strategic roadmap focused on survey system recovery. A five to ten year view that sets out the strategic direction towards achieving a sustainable survey system. As part of the process to develop the strategy discussions would focus on a range of fundamental questions, which would be considered in the first instance by ONS’s Strategic Design Committee. A report would then be provided to the Board to discuss the view on the long term strategy.
2. Members discussed the proposed scope for the strategy and highlighted the opportunity to engage with other large social research organisations, including academia and global commercial companies. It was noted that the aim was to strengthen ONS capability with both internal and external engagement. An additional strategic perspective that would be useful related to the citizen experience.
3. The Board noted the paper and would remain engaged in this work with a paper to the Board in July for comment on the developing strategy.