20 October 2006
Ministers should retain the final say over which Whitehall data are considered as approved statistics, the government is insisting, despite backbench concerns that such powers would undermine the proposed independence of the Office for National Statistics.
The government this week released its formal response to a report by the Commons' Treasury sub-committee, published in July, which had criticised plans to make the ONS independent.
Responding to the MPs' concerns, the government said it 'remains of the view that ministers, as ultimately accountable to Parliament and the electorate… should retain the decision on whether to propose statistics for assessment [as a national statistic]'.
The committee had been concerned that allowing ministers to decide what could become a national statistic would expose an independent ONS to criticism that its approved data could be manipulated for political purposes.
The ONS is an executive agency of the Treasury, but the integrity of its data has been called into question following accusations of political interference over crime statistics and NHS productivity and waiting times.
Committee sources described the government's response to some MPs' concerns as 'feeble', but the sector's watchdog interpreted the document differently.
Richard Alldritt, chief executive of the Statistics Commission, told Public Finance that the government had provided a subtle acknowledgement that an independent ONS board could assess all data used by Whitehall departments, including material not referred to the board for approval as a 'national' statistic.
The government's response states 'the [ONS] board will also be given a statutory responsibility to advise on areas of concern about any statistics produced across government (whether National Statistics or not)'.
Alldritt told PF: 'That is a crucial proposal. We interpreted being able to “advise on areas of concern” as meaning that the independent board would be able to step in and assess the integrity of data when there are concerns [about interference].'
However, Alldritt said ministers should confirm quickly the powers of the proposed board. 'We're confident about the government's proposals over independence, but we want to see the powers for the board confirmed in black and white.'
PFoct2006
