UK Energy Statistics – Institutional arrangements - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

UK Energy Statistics – Institutional arrangements

Iain MacLeay – Head Energy Balances, Prices and Publications

Date 27 September 2011Slide2

UK decentralized statistical organisation

Code of practice

DECC statistical organisation

Legal framework Advantages / disadvantages

ContentsSlide3

UK statistics are generally decentralized

Office for National Statistics (ONS) in centre, responsible for collection and publication of statistics related to economy, population and society at both national and local level,

Ministerial Departments responsible for collection and publication of their own data.

UK Statistics Authority

Provides governance for ONS,

Independent scrutiny (monitoring and evaluation) of all official statistics.

UK statistical organisationSlide4

Published January 2009, consistent with core Civil Service values:

•

Integrity

– putting the public interest above organisational, political or personal interests.• Honesty

– being truthful and open about the statistics and their interpretation.

• Objectivity – using scientific methods to collect statistics and basing statistical advice on rigorous analysis of the evidence.

•

Impartiality – acting solely according to the merits of the statistical evidence, serving equally well all aspects of the public interest.• Users – all users: government, business, public will have equal rights to data/services at the same time.

Code of practiceSlide5

8 principles

1: Meeting user needs2: Impartiality and objectivity

3: Integrity

4: Sound methods and assured quality5: Confidentiality6: Proportionate burden

7: Resources

8: Frankness and accessibility3 protocols1: User engagement2: Release practices

3: The use of administrative sources for statistical purposes

http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html

Code of practiceSlide6

DECC has Chief Statistician and Head of

Profession (HoP)

Team of around 30

Data collection/publicationPolicy analysis and monitoring

Some statisticians out-bedded within policy teams

DECC statistical organisationSlide7

DECC Statistics

OrganogramSlide8

Range of legislation

available includes

UK Stats of Trade Act 1947

UK Energy Act 1976UK Gas Act 1986/1995

UK Electricity Act 1989

EU regulation on Energy Statistics 844/2010Other EU directives and decisions

Mixed approach taken to data collection, some surveys compulsory under above powers, other data collected on voluntary basis.

Legal framework Slide9

Closer to

policy – helps statisticians understand wider policy issues

Help with policy formulation

Better chance to influence administration systemsCloser contact with data providers (energy companies)

More knowledge of user

needsAll statisticians are part of the GSS (Government Statistical Service)

AdvantagesSlide10

Perceptions on trust

But have code of practice and UK Stats Act, which govern behaviour

Lose some economies of scale

DisadvantagesSlide11

Work closely with Government Statistical Colleagues

Movement of Statisticians between

Departments

(Statisticians the Government Statistical Service)

Data

collection and analysis sub-contracted both ways between DECC and ONS (DECC collect producer prices from energy industry, ONS run surveys of energy prices paid by industry)DECC statistics, like all government statistics subject to assessment and designation process (audit) to confirm produced in line with code of practice

Issues of trust around pre-release access

(currently 24 hours in UK)Other issuesSlide12

Key benefits of non NSI solution

Evidence based policy making

Closeness to key policy customers

Closeness to energy supply companiesInvolvement with MinistersBreadth of work undertaken by statisticiansBut we still maintain National Statistics focus

Head of Profession, not Ministers, responsible for release dates and quality of outputs