Programme of Assessment
Background
Under the provisions of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, the UK Statistics Authority has a statutory responsibility to assess whether the Code of Practice has been complied with in relation to any official statistics, subject to a request from an appropriate authority (as defined in the Act). Where the Authority determines that the Code has been complied with, it will designate the statistics as "National Statistics", but otherwise not. These arrangements also apply to statistics already designated as National Statistics which will be re-assessed.
In fulfilling its statutory remit, the Statistics Authority will use the assessment process to identify steps that could be taken to improve the service to users of the statistics, and will report accordingly. In this way assessment will support the Statistics Authority's overall objective, which is to promote and safeguard the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public good.
The Statistics Authority started its assessment programme in early 2009, and has published over 260 Assessment Reports. These are available at:
http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/assessment/assessment-reports/index.html.
The Statistics Authority has published a report of the first cycle of Assessment:
Programme for 2013/14
The Statistics Authority also has a statutory responsibility to prepare and publish a programme for the assessment of statistics. The attached programme covers the sets of statistics to be assessed during the second half of 2013/14, updating the provisional programme published in March 2013 (http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/assessment/programme-of-assessment/assessment-work-programme---march-2013-version.doc).
Some of the assessments listed are subject to them being requested by the appropriate authority as defined in section 12 of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.
The Authority is developing the assessment work programme for 2014/15, and aims to publish this early in 2014.
The Authority will keep the programme under review. We will formally publish any material revisions as appropriate. The Assessment Team will discuss the detailed scope and timing with producers closer to the time of each individual assessment. Consequently, assessments may not start at exactly the time indicated here, nor have the same composition as currently envisaged.
Monitoring and Assessment
November 2013
ASSESSMENT WORK PROGRAMME FOR REMAINDER OF 2013/14
Assessments started October 2013
| Group of statistics to be assessed | Producer body |
| Statistical Data Return | Homes and Communities Agency |
| Statistics on Engagement with the Natural Environment | Natural England |
| National Accounts | Office for National Statistics |
| Statistics from the Hands Up Survey | SUSTRANS |
Assessments to start November 2013
| Group of statistics to be assessed | Producer body |
| Statistics on International Development | Department for International Development |
| Work Programme Statistics | Department for Work and Pensions |
| Get Britain Working Statistics | Department for Work and Pensions |
| Children’s Social Care Statistics | Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills |
Assessments to start December 2013
| Group of statistics to be assessed | Producer body |
| Statistics on Social Lettings | Department for Communities and Local Government |
| Mental Health Statistics | Health and Social Care Information Centre |
Assessments to start January 2014
| Group of statistics to be assessed | Producer body |
| Statistics from the Children’s Dental Health Survey | Health and Social Care Information Centre |
| Statistics on the Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and Subsequent Legislation | Home Office |
| Qualification Results | Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation |
Assessments to start February 2014
| Group of statistics to be assessed | Producer body |
| School-level Examination Statistics for England | Department for Education |
| Scottish Civil Law Statistics | Scottish Government |
Assessments to start March 2014
| Group of statistics to be assessed | Producer body |
| Private Rental Markets Statistics | Valuation Office Agency |
