National Statistician’s Committee for Advice on Standards for Economic Statistics (NSCASE)

The objectives of this Committee are rooted in the Statistics and Registration Service Act (2007). This legislation placed responsibility for statistical standards, methodologies and classifications with the newly established UK Statistics Authority. Their main advisor on these matters is the National Statistician. Between 2007 and 2020, this domestic legislative framework operated alongside a range of European laws on statistics.

During this period, the UK had a legal obligation to compile its economic statistics using the frameworks and guidance set out by Eurostat: the statistical office of the European Union (EU). Following the UK’s exit from the EU, we are strengthening the way we produce and quality assure our statistics with new governance arrangements that will support the adoption and implementation of high-quality standards for UK economic statistics.

These governance arrangements support the adoption and implementation of high-quality standards for UK economic statistics. They promote international comparability and add to the credibility and independence of the UK’s statistical system. Drawing on the best domestic and international expertise to address the key measurement challenges of modern economies, we work in partnership with other international statistical organisations to progress these issues on the world stage. Our new governance arrangements help to achieve the UKSA’s strategic objectives as set out in ‘Statistics for the Public Good’.

April 2023

Overview

The National Statistician’s Committee for Advice on Standards for Economic Statistics (NSCASE) will play a central role in the governance of economic statistics, by supporting decisions about the guidance used in the compilation of these statistics.

Introduction

At the UK Statistics Authority Board meeting on 30 September 2021, the Authority Board agreed to establish NSCASE, which would be advisory to the National Statistician.

NSCASE was established in June 2022. Its function is to support the National Statistician in ensuring its processes for influencing, adopting, and monitoring progress against international statistical standards are of a high standard.

Roles and Responsibilities

On issues identified by the National Statistician, NSCASE is responsible for providing strategic, independent advice to the National Statistician on standards, guidelines, and classifications to produce economic statistics.

Specifically, NSCASE is responsible for providing advice to the National Statistician on:

• The suitability of current standards across the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suite of economic statistics.
• The methods by which the UK should influence the development of future international statistical standards and guidelines.
• Which standards the UK should adopt in future, to meet the specific measurement needs of the UK economy, while seeking to ensure appropriate international comparability.

NSCASE will provide advice by consensus where possible or by majority vote.

To facilitate timely advice, NSCASE can consider proposals via correspondence. Advice on these projects will be provided by consensus once the stated period for consideration has expired.

Reporting and Governance

NSCASE provides strategic advice to the National Statistician, who is also the Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, leader of the Analysis Function and head of the Government Statistical Service.

The Chair of NSCASE provides regular, public advice to the National Statistician on Committee discussions. The National Statistician in turn responds publicly to NSCASE and decides whether specific matters need to be discussed by the UK Statistics Authority Board, in line with the provisions of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

The agenda will be prepared by the Secretariat in accordance with any determination of the National Statistician and the Chair.

The NSCASE Secretariat will provide reports following each of its meetings to the National Statistician. At least seven days prior to its meetings, NSCASE will receive reports on:

• proposals for new ONS statistical methodology or guidance, or amendments to existing standards
• relevant projects and programmes and other information as it requires; and
• reports from any sub-committees.

Where expedited review is sought and NSCASE approve the proposal by correspondence, a minute of the discussion via correspondence will be presented at NSCASE’s next meeting and published on the UK Statistics Authority website.

NSCASE will operate transparently. Meeting minutes and a list of projects considered will be made publicly available on the UK Statistics Authority website.

NSCASE will provide an annual report on its activities in the National Statistician’s annual report.

Chairing

The Chair of NSCASE is appointed via open competition for a three-year term. The position of the Chair is remunerated via a formal contract. Reappointment is permitted.

The Chair also represents NSCASE publicly, as necessary.

The Committee may appoint a Deputy Chair from among its members.

The Deputy Chair may fulfil the functions of the Chair if the latter is unavailable.

The chair will also occasionally be required to attend National Statistician’s Committee for Advice on Standards for Economic Statistics (NSCASE) meetings to represent the Panel where there is a relevant agenda item, as determined by the NSCASE Secretariat.

Membership

The Committee will comprise independent and trusted experts, with varied experience and skills. Members will be remunerated via a formal contract.

Members of the panel are appointed via open competition for fixed terms of three years, by the Chair and the National Statistician. As this is a new Committee, members’ end dates will be staggered to ensure continuity of work and experience. Reappointments are permitted. The composition of the Panel will be reviewed periodically by the Chair, in partnership with the National Statistician.

The role of each member of NSCASE is to participate in consideration of the full range of issues within the Committee’s remit.

The Chair may invite other relevant experts as appropriate to advise NSCASE and/or observers to attend.

Meetings

NSCASE will meet at least four times a year. The Chair of NSCASE may convene additional meetings as necessary.

NSCASE meetings will be considered quorate when four or more members are present, including the Chair or the Deputy Chair.

• Substitutes will not be permitted to attend meetings.
• For a proposal to be formally approved at a meeting a quorum the Chair (or the Deputy Chair) and three members must be present.
• For a proposal to be formally approved by correspondence a quorum the Chair (or the Deputy Chair) and three members would need to respond.

Secretariat

The Secretariat will be provided by representatives of the UK Statistics Authority’s Central Policy Secretariat.

Transparency and confidentiality

NSCASE will operate transparently. Meeting agenda, papers and minutes will be published shortly after each meeting. Papers that are draft versions of scheduled publications, or which include pre-released data, will not be published ahead of their scheduled date, but the minutes will clearly state when the final document is expected to be published. Papers that are deemed to be market sensitive will be withheld from publication.

Panel members will have the opportunity to comment on minutes before their publication, on issues of accuracy. The NSCASE Chair will have the final approval of minutes. Minutes will be made publicly available within six weeks of the meeting date.

Inclusion and Diversity

NSCASE are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the running of the committee and their advice.

The Committee will seek the advice and involvement of ONS’s diversity networks in their work. This will include inviting representatives to attend meetings or sections of meetings, should this be relevant, and sharing minutes or papers, as agreed by the committee.

The Secretariat will ensure that all meetings and materials are accessible.

Review

The Committee will review the effectiveness of its meetings and its Terms of Reference annually. These reviews are published.

2025

• 20 January
• 28 April
• 21 July
• 20 October

Minutes and papers

Martin Weale is Professor of Economics at King’s College London. Martin graduated in 1977 in Economics from Clare College, Cambridge. Martin is an applied economist with an interest in macro-economic and micro-economic problems. He was Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and a member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee from 2010 to 2016. Martin is a member of the Office for National Statistic’s Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) and the Economic Experts Working Group (EEWG). Martin is currently developing work on democratic measures of economic performance.

Robert Heath is a former Deputy Director of the IMF Statistics Department responsible for methodological development in economic statistics, overseeing the publication of IMF statistical manuals and guides including the 6th edition of the Balance of Payments Manual and Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014.

David Caplan is a statistician with extensive experience of the production and use of economic statistics. In the first half of his career, he held a range of posts within the ONS including multiple roles in the national accounts. David then moved on to a range of senior posts including Director of Research and Analysis at the Audit Commission, and, most recently, Head of the Essex Centre for Data Analytics. He also co-founded an economics consultancy.

Paul Mizen is Professor of Monetary Economics at the University of Nottingham where he leads research into use of economic statistics to support policy making at the Bank of England, COBRA, the Cabinet Office, 10 Downing St and various Government Departments; he is an ONS Fellow, member of the Economic Experts Working Group and the Office for National Statistic’s Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE).

Ian McCafferty is an international economist with senior management experience working in government, business and higher education. He has expertise in public policy-making, financial markets, economic analysis and forecasting. Ian McCafferty was a member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England from 2012 to 2018. Prior to his appointment, he had been Chief Economic Adviser to the CBI since 2001, following a career as an economist in senior roles in BP and the City. He is currently senior adviser to London Wall Partners, a firm of independent financial advisors, a Senior Adviser to Oxford Economics, and a Visiting Professor at King’s College, London.

Rebecca Riley is Professor of Practice in Economics at King’s Business School. Rebecca is Director of the Office for National Statistic’s Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) and is an applied economist focusing on labour markets, industrial organisation, and economic measurement.

Nick Vaughan is a macroeconomist working on innovative finance for development with the Education Commission. Prior to this independent role Nick was Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of Jersey, and previously Chief Economist, and Director for National Accounts and Economic Statistics at the Office for National Statistics 2014-2018 where he led the transformation of economic statistics through the ‘Bean’ review and subsequent development.

• Thomas Viegas (from 17 July 2023 to 8 April 2025)
• Mairi Spowage (from 16 June 2022 to 21 January 2025)