Members Present

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

Other Attendees

• James Benford
• June Bowman
• Lucinda Eggleton (for items 6 & 12)
• Stephanie Howarth (for item 11)
• Pamela Hunt (for item13)
• Mary Gregory
• Sarah Moore
• Tom Taylor
• Jon Wroth-Smith (for item 11)
• Jason Zawadzki (for item 11)

Secretariat

• Sally Jones
• Tom Marsh

Apologies

None

1. Apologies

   • There were no apologies.

2. Declarations of Interest

   • There were no new declarations of interest.

3. Minutes and matters arising from previous meetings

   • The minutes of the previous meeting held on 18 December 2025 were approved.

4. Report from the Authority Chair [SA(26)01]

   • The Chair reported on her activities since the Board last met, highlighting that the appointment process for the National Statistician was ongoing. It was noted that a panel comprising of the Chair and executive and non-executive director members would be convened to assure key Government Statistical Service (GSS) guidance on behalf of the Board in the absence of a National Statistician.

5. Report from the Permanent Secretary [SA(26)02]

   • Darren Tierney provided the Board with an overview of activity and issues since the last meeting highlighting the following:

1. following the recruitment process for a Director of Strategy and Policy, Sarah Jennings would be joining the Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-February. Megan Cooper had started in her role as Director of Economic Statistics Improvement. The appointment process for the Chief People Officer and Director General for Data and Technology were ongoing;
2. the finance team were leading on a year three business planning process across the organisation;

• the prioritisation process was near completion. The senior leadership had considered the impact of the field force recruitment, which had plateaued. The Board would be kept fully briefed on the consequences;

1. the refreshed Management Information (MI) dashboard would iterate in the coming months to provide the clarity needed to inform Board discussions on ONS key deliverables; and
2. progress of ongoing discussions with the Trade Unions on hybrid working.

• Members discussed the update and highlighted a number of points. The forecast budget underspend at year-end was being managed by the finance team alongside the Senior Leadership team. Areas of focus to mitigate the underspend included remedial work on ONS estates, the use of contingent labour to advance the Statistical Business Register and website development. Members noted the need for clarity on the finance strategic risk, which had been discussed as part of the recent risk workshops led by the Risk and Assurance team to refresh the Authority’s strategic risk profile.
• Members welcomed the refreshed MI noting that it could include information on key risk themes at operational levels, which had been shared as part of the recent risk workshops.
• Members discussed the approach to the production of Administrative Based Population Estimates (ABPE) following the decision by ONS not to implement new methodology in June 2026. It was clarified that part of the reason for this was the changing context, specifically the decision to hold a Census in 2031. ONS communications would reflect the changing context as well as referencing the recommendations by the Office for Statistics Regulation, which had set out the criteria on ABPEs.

6. Report from the National Statistician’s Office [SA(26)03]

   • Lucinda Eggleton provided an update on activities across the National Statistician’s Office (NSO) highlighting the following:

1. a review had been undertaken on NSO model and resourcing scheduled for substantive discussion later in the meeting;
2. delivery progress by the ONS harmonisation team on the harmonised standard on sex and gender;

• the range of work being undertaken by National Statistician Advisory Committees; and

1. the support by Heads of Profession across the Government Statistical Service on the launch of the Code of Practice for Statistics;

• Members discussed the update and highlighted the importance of Board oversight, including an opportunity for discussion, of delivery progress in response to the UK Statistics Assembly actions and recommendations. Members welcomed the update on the range of work being undertaken by the National Statistician Advisory Committees, recognising how important they are to the work of the Authority. There was support for the work by the Deputy Heads of GSS.
• The Board highlighted the need to ensure pace on the work on harmonised standards.

7. Report from the Director General of Regulation [SA(26)04]

   • Ed Humpherson updated the Board on the work by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) since the last meeting.
   • Following publication by OSR of its strategy in November, OSR’s Business Plan 2026/27, scheduled for discussion and final approval at this meeting, set out OSR key deliverables and commitments for 2026/27. Members of Regulation Committee had provided comments and approved the plan; and had also considered the Authority’s Intervention Policy, which was provided for this meeting for consideration and final approval. The policy had been updated to reflect the new Standards for the Public Use of Statistics, Data and Wider Analysis in the refreshed Code of Practice for Statistics.
   • OSR had published an update on ONS’s progress on economic statistics recovery concluding that overall ONS had made encouraging early progress in terms of specific outputs, and in terms of openness and engagement. OSR also made three recommendations on how ONS should take the programme forward and communicate progress.
   • Ed Humpherson would be providing evidence in relation to trust and the use of statistics at the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry on Propriety, ethics and the wider standards landscape in the UK.
   • Members discussed the update and highlighted the need for the OSR Business Plan to be clearer that the increase in funding had been made to deal with the backlog of statistics. They welcomed the revised Interventions Policy, and suggested minor changes strengthening the rationale for intervention on non-official statistics.
   • The Board approved OSR’s Business Plan and the updated Interventions Policy subject to the changes agreed.

8. Report from the Chair Population Statistics System Committee

   • The Chair reported on the work of the Population Statistics System Committee, which had last met on 28 January 2026.
   • The Committee had considered:

1. delivery progress of Census preparations including discussions with HM Treasury on the strategic outline business case for the Census;
2. the change of approach by ONS to producing and developing midyear population estimates following an internal review with a decision to publish mid-2025 population estimates for England and Wales based on current methodology;

• the timeline of preparations towards Census 2031 with a focus on timing of decisions and the managing the tension between retaining sufficient flexibility to be effective; and

1. delivery progress for 2027 Census test; including the test objectives, key features of the statistical and operational design and co-ordination across the United Kingdom, and an overview of challenges.

• Members stressed the importance of testing innovations in engaging with the public and encouraging completion of the Census questionnaire.

9. Report from the Chair Audit and Risk Assurance

   • The Chair reported on the informal ARAC session with Darren Tierney and members of the Executive that had been held on Friday 16 January.
   • ARAC had previously agreed to remove the formal Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) meeting held in January, but given the year end position as set out in the Authority’s Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25 the Chair of ARAC and the Permanent Secretary had agreed to convene an informal session for members to discuss a range of topics including: Census 2031, Leadership, Prioritisation and business planning, Resourcing, skill and capability and the risk around Trustworthiness, independence and reputation. The session had been useful for both ARAC members and ONS Executive.

10. Communications Update

    • Peter Barron and Sarah Moore reported on recent media coverage since the last meeting. Media coverage and sentiment in December and January, which had been more balanced as a result of the proactive approach being taken by ONS. During this period James Benford appeared on the PM Radio 4 programme covering the challenges faced by ONS, recovery plans and why the public need to take part in surveys. The Board also noted some articles that were less positive. A blog by James Benford was scheduled for publication on 30 January on how ONS are listening to businesses: modernising data, reducing burden and building trust.

11. Census 2031 – Devolved Governments [SA(26)05]

    • Jon Wroth Smith, Director of Census Statistics, National Records Scotland, and Stephanie Howarth, Chief Statistician Welsh Government, presented a paper, which provided an update on progress from a devolved government perspective on Census 2031 planning. The paper focussed on progress of the Census 2031 programme to date, including areas of effective cross-UK collaboration, and challenges. Phil Wales, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (and Chief Statistician in Northern Ireland) had contributed to the paper but was unable to attend the meeting.
    • The Board heard that the four nations had made progress on census planning and consultation, underpinned by effective cross-UK collaboration and data sharing. All nations were consulting on user needs for Census statistics, with Scotland’s consultation closed and the consultations for the other nations closing in early February.
    • Members discussed the update. The following points were made in discussion:

1. the need for a strategic approach to all aspects of resourcing for Census 2031 including where resources could be shared. This could help mitigate the challenge around building the capacity and capability in the Devolved Governments, especially given the delay in starting the Census preparations. The establishment of a senior Wales lead within the ONS Census programme would help ensure Welsh perspectives were properly represented. Resourcing would remain a key issue for the Census programme in the Devolved Governments. Resourcing at a senior level in National Records for Scotland was a key area of focus;
2. the development and importance of the memoranda of understanding that would detail the partnership arrangement for censuses across the UK to provide clarity on areas of collaboration; and

• the data sharing work to support the Census had progressed under the ONS Future of Population and Migration Statistics Programme, which was ending. It was noted that given the explicit focus on administrative data for Census 2031 as part of the Recommendation, it would be essential to continue to have a robust mechanism to identify priorities and expedite data sharing across the UK where relevant.

1. the desire for as much harmonisation and coherence on certain census questions across the UK as possible, but recognising that the Census offices retain the autonomy to design their census questionnaires. It was noted that the development of the harmonised standards should work for all nations; and
2. with regard to the 2027 census test in Scotland it was noted that further funding decisions from Scottish Government had not yet been taken for the test to proceed in Scotland.

• The Board noted thanks for the update.

12. National Statistician’s Office – Resourcing [SA(26)06]

As this area is policy in development, this part of the minute will be published upon completion.

13. People Survey 2025 [SA(26)07]

    • Pamela Hunt introduced a paper which provided an update on the 2025 People Survey, and the cultural context, key themes from the survey and areas of corporate focus: Learning and Development, Leadership and Managing Change, Pay and Benefits and Organisational Objectives and Purpose.
    • The Board had discussed the short-medium term People Plan with Henry Watson in September. Addressing cultural issues across the organisation was a key focus for the ONS Senior Leadership Team. As part of the refreshed executive governance framework Darren Tierney chairs the People Committee and people action groups across the organisation were being reinvigorated.
    • Members discussed the update. The following points were made in discussion:

1. the need for more detailed survey results to be provided for members including comments;
2. in terms of best practice members provided details of the approach taken in other organisations that had worked well, which included taking a transparent approach and regularly updating colleagues on delivery progress in areas of concern;

• the issues around psychological safety and trust were being addressed through the implementation of the People Plan;

1. the high levels of dissatisfaction on pay and benefits would be considered as part of the flexible pay case;
2. the difference of engagement scores across the organisation with some directorates performing well, with others requiring urgent attention was due to a number of reasons and reflected the challenges experienced by teams in specific areas such as communications over the last year. It was noted that statistical output teams were more directly engaged on the organisation’s purpose, which was reflected in their engagement scores;
3. the benefits of celebrating success across the organisation was highlighted. The work by Alex Lambert engaging the field force being a good example: and

• the Board welcomed the Executive’s intention to have some measurement of staff attitudes more regularly.
• The Board noted the update and would remain engaged in the organisation’s response to the survey. It was agreed that further detail would be provided on the results including commentary.

14. Board Effectiveness Review and Action Plan [SA(26)08]

    • Sally Jones introduced a paper which provided an outline draft action plan in response to findings from the external review of board effectiveness undertaken by Mo Baines,(lead Non -Executive Director, Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government and Chief Executive of the Association for Public Service Excellence) in November 2025. The report itself had been signed off ahead of the meeting.
    • The Board heard that the report would be shared with the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee as part of their inquiry on the work of the UK Statistics Authority.
    • Board members discussed the outline action plan and noted that it may need to be revisited following the publication of PACAC’s report on the work of the Authority.
    • The following points were made in discussion:

1. planning was underway for the next NED recruitment, which would set out the skills required. This was expected to include NEDs that have led organisations and delivered major transformational change and perhaps also technology and Artificial Intelligence; and also macroeconomic skills;
2. there was support for exploring increasing the number of NEDs on the Board subject to agreement by the Minister for the Cabinet Office;

• progress on NED engagement had been made over the last year including with the Government Statistical Service and the provision of expert advice in a number of areas including risk and assurance and on major programmes;

1. there was support for NEDs to be invited to attend monthly all staff event with the Permanent Secretary and the Chair;
2. a light touch framework would underpin NED engagement across the organisation;
3. producer challenge would be convened as deep dives in specific areas, and all NEDs would have the opportunity of joining deep dives scheduled by the ARAC;

• the approach to forward planning for the Board would include the Chair, Permanent Secretary and Director General for OSR; and
• the template for board papers to be reviewed and Secretariat to ensure that papers present clear concise options reporting with candour and transparency.
• The Board noted their thanks to Mo Baines for undertaking the external review and endorsed the draft action plan. The Board supported the addition of additional skills and ideally an increase in the number of NEDs on the Board, subject to Cabinet Office approval. There was a consensus that consideration of an ONS Board should wait until the arrival of a new Chair and should be considered alongside the outcome of the PACAC Inquiry. It was agreed that NEDs would be invited to attend monthly all staff sessions with Darren Tierney.

15. Any Other Business

    • The Chair noted that following discussions with the Chair of Regulation Committee and the Director General for OSR a recruitment process would be undertaken for two independent members of the Regulation Committee.
    • The Board would next meet on Thursday 27 February.