PM warned over ninth misleading unemployment claim
17 May Statistics

PM warned over ninth misleading unemployment claim

Stats watchdog criticises Boris Johnson as he continues to incorrectly state there are more people in employment than before the pandemic
by Tevye Markson
Covid and the war in Ukraine are tragically graphic illustrations of the need for trustworthy data
12 May Statistics
Covid and the war in Ukraine are tragically graphic illustrations of the need for trustworthy data
Public trust in official stats up, despite concern over political interference in Covid figures
27 Apr Statistics
Public trust in official stats up, despite concern over political interference in Covid figures
PACAC backs Sir Robert Chote for Statistics Authority chair role
04 Apr Statistics
PACAC backs Sir Robert Chote for Statistics Authority chair role
Data black hole means government lacks grasp on two-thirds of local spending
04 May Statistics
Data black hole means government lacks grasp on two-thirds of local spending
Government does not understand why local authority performances vary due to £10bn data gap, think tank says
Former head of OBR picked as next UK Statistics Authority chair
22 Mar Statistics
Former head of OBR picked as next UK Statistics Authority chair
The planned appointment of Sir Robert Chote will now be scrutinised by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
'Essential' that government statisticians can raise concerns about misleading data, stats society says
15 Mar Statistics
'Essential' that government statisticians can raise concerns about misleading data, stats society says
RSS survey highlights heavy workloads during the pandemic, as well as concerns among some about raising issues
DWP accused of 'culture of secrecy' after blocking access to benefit sanctions data
03 Mar Statistics
DWP accused of 'culture of secrecy' after blocking access to benefit sanctions data
Glasgow study into the link between sanctions and health issues halted after department refused to release data
Boris Johnson reproached for 'selective use of data' on unemployment
28 Feb Statistics
Boris Johnson reproached for 'selective use of data' on unemployment
Statistics watchdog writes to PM for the second time this month after he claimed employment had risen
Stats award seeks 'outstanding' innovation in use of official statistics
21 Feb Statistics
Stats award seeks 'outstanding' innovation in use of official statistics
RSS Campion Award celebrates government statisticians' role in "answering some of society’s most important questions"
'Data driven decision making has never been more critical': Statistics Authority chief sets out 2022 plans
17 Jan Statistics
'Data driven decision making has never been more critical': Statistics Authority chief sets out 2022 plans
Professor Sir Ian Diamond, chief executive and permanent secretary of the UK Statistics Authority, expects a continued push towards real-time statistics and analysis this year
Places with high homelessness rates not receiving enough levelling up funding, think tank warns
14 Jan Statistics
Places with high homelessness rates not receiving enough levelling up funding, think tank warns
Fund places too much emphasis on physical infrastructure and too little on social issues, report argues
A Differentiated Future Partner Content
11 Jan Statistics
A Differentiated Future
Five key themes have emerged from PA consulting's latest survey, pointing towards a very different Higher Education sector in years to come
MoJ rapped for transgender prisoners stats leak
30 Nov 2021 Statistics
MoJ rapped for transgender prisoners stats leak
Press report ahead of publication is the "opposite of what the public deserve", watchdog says
Cabinet Office criticised over 'rushed' watchdog recruitment
26 Nov 2021 Statistics
Cabinet Office criticised over 'rushed' watchdog recruitment
Thirteen-day application window “hardly a good way to get a strong and diverse field” for next UKSA chair, says former Royal Statistical Society chief exec
The civil society data gap matters – and this is how we fill it
19 Oct 2021 Statistics
The civil society data gap matters – and this is how we fill it
Civil society is a vital part of our lives, but we know relatively little about the health of the sector. Ed Humpherson makes the case for taking action now to ensure policymakers have the data they need to better support – and work with – civil society in the future
Stats regulator urges ministers and officials to implement Covid lessons
08 Oct 2021 Statistics
Stats regulator urges ministers and officials to implement Covid lessons
Pandemic sparked “unprecedented public engagement" with health data but highlighted challenges, OSR says
ONS digital team creates eight new roles in ‘ambitious expansion’
29 Jul 2021 Statistics
ONS digital team creates eight new roles in ‘ambitious expansion’
Statistics body recruiting for a range of positions
Analysis of Covid deaths by ethnicity scoops stats award
16 Jul 2021 Statistics
Analysis of Covid deaths by ethnicity scoops stats award
Winning project 'produced a profound piece of analysis that had huge effects right across government and the health service'
MPs 'not satisfied' with government's answers to Covid transparency concerns
16 Jun 2021 Statistics
MPs 'not satisfied' with government's answers to Covid transparency concerns
Gove rebuked again as PACAC demands clarity
‘More important than ever that stats are credible’: RSS invites entries for awards
04 Mar 2021 Statistics
‘More important than ever that stats are credible’: RSS invites entries for awards
Government statisticians asked to put projects forward for two trophies
ONS makes ‘milestone’ move to boost trust in government data
07 Dec 2020 Statistics
ONS makes ‘milestone’ move to boost trust in government data
Statistics body floats quality framework to help departments improve their data use
‘The opportunity to have organisations of all types publishing data to common standards is really exciting’: why stats regulators' new award matters
21 Oct 2020 Statistics
‘The opportunity to have organisations of all types publishing data to common standards is really exciting’: why stats regulators' new award matters
The first ever award to recognise the voluntary application of the Office for Statistics Regulation code has been awarded jointly to MHCLG and the Scottish Fiscal Commission, with UCAS named highly commended.
Interview: UK national statistician on how data has helped government – and the public – in coronavirus response
20 Oct 2020 Statistics
Interview: UK national statistician on how data has helped government – and the public – in coronavirus response
To mark World Statistics Day, Professor Sir Ian Diamond reveals how the work of statisticians has been crucial in supporting government’s pandemic response, as well as his thoughts on the media and politicians’ use of numbers
National Data Strategy promises to ‘tackle government culture of risk aversion’
14 Sep 2020 Statistics
National Data Strategy promises to ‘tackle government culture of risk aversion’
Document sets out ‘transforming government’s use of data’ as one of five missions
Interview: Royal Statistical Society chief Stian Westlake on Covid-19, the A-Level row, and his ‘very geeky’ favourite stat
04 Sep 2020 Statistics
Interview: Royal Statistical Society chief Stian Westlake on Covid-19, the A-Level row, and his ‘very geeky’ favourite stat
If the government has learned one thing from Ofqual's handling of A-Level results, it's that transparency is critical to quality and public trust, the former spad tells Beckie Smith.
A-Level row: 'It's unlikely we could ever have delivered this policy successfully,' Ofqual chair says
03 Sep 2020 Statistics
A-Level row: 'It's unlikely we could ever have delivered this policy successfully,' Ofqual chair says
Roger Taylor said it was Gavin Williamson's decision to use algorithm, but Ofqual is "ultimately responsible for the decisions that fall to us".
A-Level row: Stats society criticises Ofqual's 'desperate' defence of NDA that 'would have gagged experts for five years'
25 Aug 2020 Statistics
A-Level row: Stats society criticises Ofqual's 'desperate' defence of NDA that 'would have gagged experts for five years'
Watchdog chair says RSS caused “misunderstanding and suspicion of Ofqual’s process” after experts refused to sign gagging clause