The Advisory Panel on Migration Statistics has been established to provide independent advice to the National Statistician on the development and use of migration statistics.
Formed following a review of statistical governance, the panel supports the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in ensuring migration data is accurate, useful, and trustworthy.
Panel Objectives
- Advise on the strategic direction of migration statistics.
- Help prioritise developments based on user needs and available resources.
- Review input from expert groups like MARP and the Migration Statistics User Group.
- Ensure statistics are clear, comprehensive, and reliable.
- Consider alternative definitions and classifications.
- Support quality assurance of international migration methods.
The panel is advisory only and does not make decisions. The frequency of meetings will be determined by the convener, who is responsible for coordinating the panel’s activities, setting meeting agendas, and ensuring effective communication between members and the National Statistician.
June 2025
Overview
The Advisory Panel on Migration Statistics provides independent advice to the National Statistician on the uses and applications of migration statistics. The establishment of the panel was recommended by an independent review of the governance of price statistics, which considered matters relating to the governance arrangements and structures underpinning the production of statistics by the Office for National Statistics.
Introduction
The panel was established to support the strategic development of migration statistics and ensure they are accurate, transparent, and meet user needs. It plays a key advisory role to the National Statistician and receives reports and guidance from the Methodological Assurance Review Panel (MARP) and its sub-group on Migration Statistics.
Functions
The purpose of the group is to:
- arrive at a consensus view on the strategic direction for the development of migration statistics and provide external advice to support a coordinated approach and strategy.
- advise the National Statistician on prioritisation in the context of finite resources, taking into account user needs.
- receive reports and guidance from MARP and the Migration Statistics User Group to assess the benefits and limitations of changes and developments.
- advise the National Statistician to ensure that official statistics are accurate, clearly presented, comprehensive, transparent, and trustworthy.
- consider proposals on alternative definitions and classifications as well as breakdowns of official statistics.
- form a significant part of ONS quality assurance of international migration methods.
The panel is not a decision-making body and will operate in an advisory role to the National Statistician.
Membership
In response to the Lievesley Review in 2024, guidance was published to enhance the transparency of the appointment process for National Statistician’s Advisory Committees. The standard term of membership is three years, with members eligible to serve up to two consecutive terms. By exception, the National Statistician may wish to appoint members for a third and final term.
Members may be appointed through open competition or as nominated representatives of organisations invited by the Chair as ex-officio members. The Panel will consist of 4–8 appointed members, the Chair, two members of the MARP international migration sub-group, and a small number of ex-officio members. The members are selected to give appropriate breadth of experience and expertise. If specific expertise is required for a particular method extension, additional experts may be co-opted, with agreement by the convener to take part in discussion and meetings.
Delegates for appointed members are not permitted unless with express permission from the convener. Ex-officio seats will be held on a departmental basis; the named member may delegate appropriately within their organisation.
Chairing
The chair of the National Statistician’s Advisory Panel on Migration Statistics is appointed and will be reviewed periodically by the National Statistician.
The chair sets the Panel’s agenda, guided by the strategic direction and the needs of ONS.
The chair also represents the Panel publicly, as necessary.
Transparency / Confidentiality
The Panel will be bound by a confidentiality undertaking, which they will sign as part of their appointment.
Code of Conduct
Panel members are expected to provide their expertise and advice on the topics they are asked to consider. Members are welcome to share papers in advance with colleagues on a need-to-know basis to develop their advice within the constraints outlined in the Confidentiality Undertaking which all panel members are requested to sign. If Panel members wish to share a paper more widely, this can be decided by the chair of the Panel on a case-by-case basis.
On occasion members will be asked to consider topics of a sensitive nature. In these instances, certain restrictions will apply. These will be clearly set out by the Panel secretariat in advance of receiving any papers. Members who feel they are not able to abide with the restrictions will not receive papers and will be asked not to attend the relevant meeting.
Secretariat
The secretariat will be provided by the ONS.
Meetings
The Panel will be organised by the ONS, including coordination of materials across divisions and organisations. The agenda, timings, and frequency of meetings will be set by the convener.
| Member | Position | Declaration of Interest |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Madeleine Sumption (Chair) | Director of the University of Oxford’s Migration Observatory | No relevant interest |
| Professor Jonathan Portes | Professor of Economics and Public Policy, King’s College London | Description of financial Interests: Senior Advisor to Teneo Provides economic advice/consulting services to economic consulting firms, management consulting firms, and financial market participants in the UK and abroad. Description of personal Interests: Trustee, Commonweal Housing (housing charity), Various appointments, Coram Foundation (children’s charity) |
| Professor Alan Manning | Professor of Economics, London School of Economics | No relevant interest |
| Frank Laczko | Independent consultant, Former Director UN Migration, Global Migration Data Analysis Centre | No relevant interest |
| Moritz Marbach | Associate Professor in Data Science & Public Policy, University College London (UCL) | No relevant interest |
| Michael O’Connor | Independent consultant | No relevant interest |
| Representative from the (MARP) sub-group on international migration | To be appointed following first meeting in July | To be confirmed |
| Representative from the (MARP) sub-group on international migration | To be appointed following first meeting in July | To be confirmed |
Ex Officio Members
- Simon Palmer: Home Office
- Andrew Needham: Department for Work and Pensions
- Esther Roughsedge: National Records of Scotland
- Richard Elliott: Nothern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
Regular ONS attendees
- Mary Gregory : Director of Population Statistics
- Victoria Chenery : Head of International Migration Research and Development
- Melissa Randall: Head of Migration Statistics