What we do
The UK Statistics Authority has two main functions:
- oversight of the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
The Statistics Authority provides the top level of governance for ONS, replacing the oversight role previously performed by HM Treasury ministers. As a consequence, the Statistics Authority has a statutory power to produce statistics, as ONS did previously
- independent scrutiny (monitoring and assessment) of all UK official statistics
The Statistics Authority is required to monitor, and may report on, the production and publication of all official statistics (wherever produced), regardless of whether or not they are labelled as 'National Statistics'
The Statistics Authority must maintain a Code of Practice, a benchmark which allows independent assessment of the quality and integrity of official statistics (produced by ONS, government departments and the devolved administrations), before deciding to give them formal accreditation as 'National Statistics'.
