The Office for Statistics Regulation has called for departments to be more transparent when using figures in public communications.
The UK Statistics Authority’s regulatory arm today published a review into “intelligent transparency” in government.
The OSR defines intelligent transparencyis as “proactively taking an open, clear and accessible approach to the use of data, statistics and wider analysis in the public domain” and says it should be the default approach for all public bodies when communicating statistics, data, and wider analysis.
The review – which OSR described as “the first systematic insight into how well intelligent transparency is embedded within governments” – analysed 16 departments and the UK's three devolved governments.
The OSR introduced the intelligent transparency principle in 2021 and has now included it for the first time in its Code of Practice for Statistics, which was updated earlier this month and sets out how statistics, data and wider analysis should be used in the public domain by public bodies.
The review found that there has been “good progress in embedding intelligent transparency within ministerial departments and devolved governments of the UK”, with understanding of its importance high among statisticians and other analysts, and “some improvement” in awareness among communications professionals.
And it found that all organisations had some form of guidance, training and/or processes in place to support adherence to intelligent transparency.
However, the OSR also found that intelligent transparency is still not the default approach to using statistics, data and other types of analysis in the public domain.
As part of the review, the regulator analysed press releases published during the week beginning 14 July, and found that only 17% named the source of their figures, and just under 10% provided a direct link to the source.
The OSR said all statistics, data and wider analysis used in public communications by ministerial departments and devolved governments should cite a source and directly link to that source. To support this goal, it said the Government Communication Service should embed expectations about citing sources within its guidance for communication professionals and clearly communicate this across its networks.
The review also recommends that No.10 make improvements to its "connections with the statistical community across government" and review the training it provides to those responsible for "the grid".
The OSR said some stakeholders identified "grid slots" and collaborating with No.10 as "occasional barriers" to publishing ad hoc releases to support the public use of statistics, data and wider analysis.
The "grid" is used by No.10 to plan government announcements and publications. However, the OSR noted that in practice, a slot can be challenging to obtain, particularly when there is a deadline by which analysis should ideally be published.
Stakeholders told the OSR that "awareness and understanding" of the requirements of the Code of Practice for Statistics and intelligent transparency "can be relatively low among special advisers and those responsible for the gridding system".
They also said that, as there is no chief statistician or head of profession for statistics in No.10, statisticians in other departments do not always know who to contact to discuss issues relating to data and statistics. They told the OSR this "can exacerbate challenges when trying to identify grid slots for publications or resolve issues about the use of unpublished data in the public domain".
To address these issues, the OSR said it "may be beneficial to introduce a chief statistician role within No.10, or for relevant colleagues within No.10 to make links with the head of profession for statistics network by joining their regular mailing list and meetings".
The review also calls for ministerial departments and devolved governments to publish public commitments to intelligent transparency.
OSR boss Ed Humpherson said: “This review is a timely reminder that intelligent transparency is key to enhancing the trustworthiness of government communications. While there are positive signs of progress among the statistical community, in our review we that found few press releases named the source of the numbers they use.
"There is clearly more work to do. Everyone in government has an important role to play in embedding intelligent transparency as standard practice, so OSR is today sharing this report with senior leaders across UK and devolved governments.”