Economic statistics - the SPE’s role
Statistics comprise much of the raw material used by members of the SPE. It is important that users understand the strengths and weaknesses of the data they use. It is also vital that the views and concerns of users about data is discussed with the providers of official statistics. The SPE has the potential to play a key role in this respect.
This note covers the representation by SPE on several UK statistics groups – as the SPE seeks to comment on the suitability and reliability of UK statistics. (We recognise that not all members will be focused on UK official statistics but hope that this work is of general interest.)
The ONS and related organisations have developed better communication about statistical developments. A good way to keep informed in the UK is to look at the ONS website Economic Statistics Events page.
Kate Barker and Ian Harwood are the main SPE representatives in this area. They would be pleased to hear of any concerns or queries SPE members have about statistics and statistical developments. We would also be pleased if any member wished to join us, or take over from us, on some of these groups.
National Statistician’s Expert User Advisory Committee
This is part of the ONS work on user engagement. Membership and full Terms of Reference can be found on the UKSA website – but the four key agenda topics are:
1. discussing strategic priorities and statistical activities;
2. promoting the value of official statistics to society;
3. helping UKSA, ONS and the UK statistical system to improve user engagement; and
4. identifying areas not being addressed by the statistical system.
Recent topics include:
- A discussion with the World Wildlife Fund about environmental statistics
- The Post-Census consultation – an important exercise to discover if users are content with the proposals to replace the Census with more up-to-date administrative data.
Kate Barker is a member of this group by virtue of her role on the consumer prices panel (see below). This is a good route to raise issue of user concern with the ONS -please contact her via the SPE if you have an issue you would like to be discussed.
Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE)
ESCoE’s key purpose is to be a hub of world-leading expertise around the analysis of emerging and future issues in measuring the economy. There is an excellent website about their work which covers latest research https://www.escoe.ac.uk This site also hosts a well-curated Historical Data repository. ESCoE run a number of events and hold an annual conference.
Kate Barker is a member of ESCoE’s advisory panel.
Forum of Statistics User Groups
The FoSUG aims to be the strategic voice of users of official statistics. It is an umbrella organisation for user groups across the spectrum of official statistics. Ian Harwood and Kate Barker endeavour to attend meetings (normally on-line) on behalf of the SPE.
More detail of FoSUG and its meetings can be found on its section of StatsUserNet.
This site is a forum for discussion of statistical topics hosted by ONS. (The link is http://www.statsusernet.org.uk). The purpose is to stimulate engagement and dialogue between users and producers of official statistics. It carries news of events as well as discussion.
The forum includes some very lively discussion of consumer price measurement – although some other topics seem to have sparked little recent discussion.
Advisory Panels on Consumer Prices
Among other advisory panels for the National Statistician are Technical and Stakeholder Panels on Consumer Prices. These meet 4 times a year and have busy agendas. Recent discussions have focused on the prices transformation project (bringing much greater use of administrative and web-scraped data into the CPI) and the development of the Household Costs Indices (for a description of these see the ONS data release December 4, 2023, entitled: Household Costs Indices for UK Household Groups).
The Panel, which is chaired by Kate Barker, also considers the appropriate use of different formulae for measuring price change and the much disputed topic of how to include owner-occupied housing in a consumer prices index.
oth Panels’ Terms of Reference, membership, minutes and papers can be found on the UKSA website.
January 2024