UK Statistics Authority Centre for Applied Data Ethics Advisory Committee

The UKSA’s Centre for Applied Data Ethics independent Advisory Committee (CADEAC) has been established to advise the UK Statistics Authority on the strategic direction, outputs and impact of the Centre.

The committee is formed of experts from government and academia, with details of the current members of the committee provided below.

The Advisory Committee is chaired by Professor David Hand and meets on a quarterly basis.

Chair

Professor David Hand OBE FBA, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Senior Research Investigator, Imperial College, London

David Hand is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Senior Research Investigator at Imperial College, London. He is a Chartered Statistician and Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries. He has served on the Board of the UK Statistics Authority and the European Statistical Advisory Committee. He is a former president of the Royal Statistical Society, was previously Chair of the Board of the Administrative Data Research Network, and serves on the Board of the Data for Policy CIC.

Members

Sue Bateman, Deputy Director, Data and Innovation, Government Digital Service

Sue Bateman leads the Data and Innovation team in the Government Digital Service, which supports public sector organisations to make greater use of emerging technologies to improve our public services and policy making. This includes responsibility for the Data Standards Authority and initiatives to promote ethical use of data, data sharing, open data and data capability.

She previously spent a number of years working on IT and data policy and strategy, including leading the international collaboration on the G8 Open Data Charter and establishing the UK government data science programme and partnership.

Sam Cannicott, Policy & Partnerships Lead, Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation

Sam Cannicott is Policy & Partnerships Lead at the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation. He has previously worked in multiple policy roles across various organisations, including the academic sector and public sector, including working on data ethics in the New Zealand civil service, before taking up his current role at CDEI.

Colin Godbold, Independent member

Colin Godbold is an independent consultant specialising in the delivery of large-scale digital technology and organisational change programmes. He holds a number of advisory appointments, including member of the National Statistician’s Data Ethics Advisory Committee, and was previously Vice Chair of the DWP’s Social Security Advisory Committee and a member of the Administrative Data Research Network Board. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the British Computer Society.

Dr Emma Gordon, Director, Administrative Data Research UK

Dr Emma Gordon is the Director of ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK), a programme funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, which aims to bridge the gap between academia and government by transforming the way researchers access the UK’s existing wealth of public sector data, so that policy can be based upon the best evidence possible. Emma joined ADR UK from HM Treasury, where she led the team supporting government economists and social researchers across government. Prior to this, Emma was Head of Health Analysis at the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and at the start of her career was a post-doctoral researcher on the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

Roger Halliday, Chief Statistician, Scottish Government

Roger Halliday started as Scotland’s Chief Statistician in November 2011 and Served as Scottish Government’s Chief Data Officer role between 2017 and 2020. Since March, he has jointly led a Covid Modelling and Analysis Division in Scottish Government, and is the interim Chief Executive of Research Data Scotland.

Reema Patel, Associate Director (Engagement), Ada Lovelace Institute

Reema Patel is an Associate Director at the Ada Lovelace Institute and has worked for the organisation from its establishment as part of its founding team. She leads the organisation’s public attitudes and public deliberation research, and its broader engagement work on justice and equalities, particularly health and social inequalities, seeking to inform the Institute’s overall agenda to convene diverse voices.

Emma Rourke, Director, Health Analysis and Pandemic Insight, Office for National Statistics

Emma Rourke leads the development of Office for National Statistics statistics on health, life events, related inequalities and the response to the Covid-19 pandemic which includes the Covid Infection Survey operations and analysis. Before joining ONS, Emma held senior roles in the health sector, including Director of Intelligence at the Care Quality Commission.

Professor Donald Simeon, Professor of Biostatistics and Research, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago

Professor Donald Simeon is Director of the Caribbean Centre for Health Systems Research and Development. He is a Chartered Statistician and Fellow with the Royal Statistical Society, UK and is the Chair of Research Ethics Committees of the South-West Regional Health Authority and the Tobago House of Assembly in Trinidad & Tobago. He is also Founding Executive member of the Bioethics Society of the English-speaking Caribbean.

Tom Smith, Managing Director, ONS Data Science Campus

Tom Smith is Managing Director at the Data Science Campus, joining Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2017. He was co-founder and, prior to joining ONS, chief executive of Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI), a research and data “spin-out” company from the University of Oxford. Tom has more than 20 years’ experience using data and analysis to improve public services.

Committee Details

Introduction

1.The UK Statistics Authority’s Centre for Applied Data Ethics was launched in February 2021 to provide a comprehensive source of guidance and advice on data ethics issues to the research and statistical community.

2. As part of the establishment of this Centre, it was agreed that an independent Advisory Committee would be established.

Role and responsibilities

3. The role of the Centre for Applied Data Ethics Advisory Committee (CADEAC) is to advise the UK Statistics Authority on the strategic direction, outputs and impact of the Centre.

4. Specific responsibilities of the CADEAC include to:

  • Provide independent and expert advice on key data ethics issues encountered in the research and statistical space, including identifying areas that would benefit from further user guidance and support;
  • Feedback on the various guidance, outputs and activities of the Centre, both completed and planned, and their potential influence within the research and statistical community;
  • Promote the views of the research and statistical community within and outside of government with regards to key data ethics issues and priorities.

Meetings

5. CADEAC will meet online 4 times a year. The attendance of delegates in place of committee members will not be permitted, unless in exceptional circumstances agreed by the Chair.

6. The Chair may invite other relevant experts as appropriate to advise the committee.

Reporting

7. The CADEAC secretariat will provide reports following each of its meetings to the National Statistician.

8. At least seven days prior to its meeting, CADEAC will receive reports on the current activities of the Centre and future plans for feedback.

9. CADEAC will operate transparently, with meeting minutes made publicly available on the UK Statistics Authority website.

Secretariat

10. Secretariat for the CADEAC will be provided by the staff from the Data Governance, Legislation and Policy within the UK Statistics Authority.

Review

11. CADEAC will review the effectiveness of its meetings and its terms of reference annually, undertaking an annual self-assessment to consider how the committee is working. This self-assessment will be coordinated by the Secretariat.

April 2021