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’.

August 2026

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 international 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.

Following NSCASE’s review of SNA25 and BPM7, UKSA has taken the opportunity to review the remit, frequency and membership of NSCASE meetings to reflect better a change in demand for its services. The resulting changed roles and responsibilities and membership are outlined below.

Roles and Responsibilities

On issues identified by the National Statistician or if the National Statistician role is vacant, reports and recommendations made by NSCASE will be directed to the interim governance body, NSCASE is responsible for providing strategic, independent advice to the National Statistician on the following to produce economic statistics:

• International standards (e.g. European System of Accounts, Government Finance Statistics),
• Guidelines, and
• Classifications (e.g. COICOP, COFOG.) For clarity, “classifications” here does not include the classification of public assets and liabilities.

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

• The suitability of international statistical standards across the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suite of economic statistics, with reference to the specific measurement needs of the UK economy as well as the need to ensure appropriate international comparability and historical continuity.
• Areas in which the UK should deviate from specific international standards (in part or in whole), the reasons for doing so (including any negative impacts), and which standards, if any, should be followed in their place.
• Where international standards remain in development or pend approval, but the UK would potentially benefit from beginning work on their possible implementation ahead of formal approval, advice should be given on whether the ONS should work on the assumption that these standards will be adopted, along with any initial considerations NSCASE has on which areas of the standards the UK would be advisable to deviate.
• Approaches the UK should take to influence the development of future international statistical standards and guidelines.
• The developments and progress of the SNA research agenda, particularly those elements relevant to measuring UK economic activity.

Where practical, and following approval by the National Statistician, ONS will facilitate transmission of the views of NSCASE to relevant international bodies on a timescale which makes it possible for NSCASE to influence the development of international standards.

Issues on standards for prices, labour market statistics and national accounts will be referred to NSCASE rather than the expert advisory committees on these issues.

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

To facilitate timely advice, NSCASE can consider proposals via correspondence. Advice on these proposals will be provided when more than half of appointed members, excluding any abstentions agree on the advice to be provided.

In a situation where the National Statistician has rejected NSCASE’s advice, NSCASE would have a reasonable expectation that the National Statistician would publish reasoned arguments to support the rejection of the committee’s advice.

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, considering input from the Chair and key stakeholders.

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 papers relevant to the meeting agenda, for example:

• International proposals for new ONS statistical methodology or guidance, or amendments to existing standards.
• Developments and progress of the SNA research agenda, in particular those elements relevant to measuring UK economic activity.
• Participation and contributions to relevant international statistical fora (e.g. UNSC, IMF and OECD periodical meetings and conferences) by ONS representatives.

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.

In alternate years, NSCASE will provide a 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. Reappointment is permitted.

The Chair also represents NSCASE publicly, as necessary.

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

Membership

The Committee will comprise independent and trusted experts and will include:

• The Chairof this committee (National Statistician’s Committee for Advice on Standards for Economic Statistics)
• The Chair of ONS’s external advisory Committee on National Accounts
• The Chair of ONS’s external stakeholder advisory Committee on Prices
• The Chair of ONS’s external advisory Committee on Classifications
• The Chair of ONS’s external advisory Committee on Labour Market statistics
• Nominated representative from the Bank of England
• Nominated representative from His Majesty’s Treasury
• Nominated representative from the Office for Budget Responsibility
• Director of the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence
• Two independent experts will be recruited to ensure the Committee has a broad range of expertise.

Members of the panel are appointed for fixed terms of three years, by the Chair and the National Statistician. Re-appointments 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.

Substitutes will be permitted to attend meetings, either a named replacement from institutions or a member (preferably Vice-Chair) of Advisory Committees.

Substitutes attending the committee are permitted, with some restrictions. In the case of NSCASE’s Chair and external experts, substitutes should not be permitted. In the case of the Chairs of technical groups, substitutes should be limited to Vice-Chairs, whilst substitutes for the ESCoE, Bank and Treasury and the OBR positions will be permitted. These will be nominated by the relevant organisations.

Meetings

NSCASE will meet at least twice (January and July) a year. The Chair of NSCASE may convene additional meetings as necessary.

NSCASE meetings will be considered quorate and able formally to approve a proposal when more than fifty percent of appointed members are present, including the Chair or the Deputy Chair.

For a proposal to be formally approved by correspondence agreement from more than fifty percent of appointed members is required, excluding any abstentions.

Where agreement is needed on any decision, each organisation would be limited to one vote only regardless of the number of representatives present from that organisation.

Code of Conduct

Committee members are expected to provide their expertise and advice on topics they are asked to consider. Members may share ‘SENSITIVE’ material beyond the panel in advance to develop their advice, typically with colleagues. Any sharing of ‘SENSITIVE’ materials must comply with the Confidentiality Undertaking (which all committee members are requested to sign), requiring prior consent from the NSCASE Secretariat and Chair (decided on a case‑by‑case basis), and may require recipients to sign a Confidentiality Undertaking. ‘HIGHLY SENSITIVE’ information must not be shared beyond the panel.

On occasion members could be asked to consider topics of a sensitive nature. In these instances, certain restrictions will apply. These will be clearly set out by the committee secretariat in advance of receiving any papers. Members who feel they are not able to abide with the restriction will not receive papers and will be asked not to attend the relevant meeting.

Secretariat

The Secretariat will be provided by representatives of the ONS’s Well Being, Innovation and Productivity division.

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 dates, but the minutes will clearly state when the final documents are 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 on issues of accuracy, before their publication. 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 in alternate years These reviews are published.

2026

• 20 January
• 7 July

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.

Jonathan Portes is Professor of Economics and Public Policy at King’s College London.  He is also Chair of the ONS Stakeholder Advisory Committee on Labour Market Statistics, and a member of the National Statistician’s Advisory Panel on Migration Statistics. He was formerly Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. He began his career at HM Treasury, and was Chief Economist at both the Cabinet Office and the Department of Work and Pensions. His research interests include immigration, labour markets, and social security. 

Rebecca is Professor of Economics at King’s Business School, King’s College London. She is Director of the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE). Rebecca has written extensively on UK labour market policy, economic performance, and economic measurement. She has been an external advisor to government departments and public bodies, including the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Work and Pensions. She is a member of the Conference on Research in Income and Wealth (CRIW) at the NBER. Previously she headed the UK forecast team and productivity research group at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

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.

Paul Schreyer is Research Director at the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) at King’s College London. He holds a PhD from  the University of Innsbruck, Austria (1986). Prior to joining ESCoE, he worked at the OECD as head of National Accounts and then as the Organisation’s Chief Statistician. Paul has been working on national accounts, prices, and the measurement of productivity, capital and consumer welfare. In 2009, he was rapporteur for the Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress. In 2026, he received the Julius Shiskin Award by the American Statistical Association for contributions to the development of economic statistics.

Oliver is Professor of Macroeconomics at Southampton University. His career has included stints at Goldman Sachs, the Federal Reserve, the ECB, and most recently Head of Department at Liverpool University. He has also worked with other organizations in various capacities: Senior George Fellow at the BoE; Research Fellow at the central banks of Ireland, Poland, and Finland; Consultant to the IMF and central banks of Korea and Kazakhstan. With a PhD from Cambridge and research expertise in Monetary and Fiscal Policy, his work is published in world-leading journals including Econometrica, the Economic Journal, the Journal of International Economics, and the Journal of Monetary Economics.

Sandy Stewart is a visiting research fellow in the Adam Smith Business School in the University of Glasgow, and an Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) Research Associate, focussing on regional economies, productivity and industrial history. Sandy was previously Head of National Accounts and Public Sector Finance Statistics in the Scottish Government. Sandy is chair of the National Statistician’s Economic Statistics Classifications Technical Advisory Panel (NSESCTAP).

• Bank of England
• His Majesty’s Treasury

• Robert Heath
• David Caplan
• Professor Paul Mizen
• Ian McCafferty
• Thomas Viegas (from 17 July 2023 to 8 April 2025)
• Mairi Spowage (from 16 June 2022 to 21 January 2025)