UK Energy Statistics –
Institutional arrangements
Iain MacLeay – Head Energy Balances, Prices
and Publications
Date 27 September 2011
Contents
1. UK decentralized statistical
organisation
2. Code of practice
3. DECC statistical organisation
4. Legal framework
5. Advantages / disadvantages
UK statistical organisation
1. UK statistics are generally decentralized
a.
b.
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.
2. UK Statistics Authority
a.
b.
Provides governance for ONS,
Independent scrutiny (monitoring and evaluation) of all
official statistics.
Code of practice
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 practice
8 principles
1: Meeting user needs
2: Impartiality and objectivity
3: Integrity
4: Sound methods and assured quality
5: Confidentiality
6: Proportionate burden
7: Resources
8: Frankness and accessibility
3 protocols
1: User engagement
2: Release practices
3: The use of administrative sources for statistical purposes
http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html
DECC statistical organisation
1. DECC has Chief Statistician and Head of
Profession (HoP)
2. Team of around 30
a. Data collection/publication
b. Policy analysis and monitoring
3. Some statisticians out-bedded within policy
teams
DECC Statistics Organogram
Duncan Millard
Head of Team
Head of Profession for Statistics
0300 068 5051
Alison Colquhoun
Higher Statistical
Officer
Fuel poverty analysis
Chris Mckee
Higher Statistical
Officer
Fuel poverty analysis
in review team
Damon Wingfield
Statistician, Grade 7
Fuel poverty statistics
0300 068 5058
Iain Macleay
Deputy Director, Grade 6
Energy balances, prices &
publications
0300 068 5048
Laura Williams
Assistant Statistician
Fuel poverty statistics &
domestic prices
0300 068 5045
Kevin Harris
HEO
Energy balances &
publications
0300 068 5041
Jo Marvin
HEO
Energy prices
0300 068 5049
Anwar Annut
Statistical Officer
Energy balances &
publications
0300 068 5060
Susan Lomas
AO
Energy prices
0300 068 5047
Energy Statistics
Daniel Proctor
Student
Energy balances, prices &
publications
0300 068 5057
Julian Prime
Statistician, Grade 7
Energy consumption,
regional energy, Heat
0300 068 5054
Will Rose
Higher Statistical Officer
Energy consumption &
regional energy
0300 068 6909
Tom Rouse
Student
Energy consumption &
regional energy
0300 068 5037
Mary Gregory
Statistician, Grade 7
NEED
0300 068 5856
Stephen Oxley
Higher Statistical
Officer
Energy efficiency
0300 068 5025
Warren Evans
Statistician, Grade 7
Emergency oil
meausres, inc.oil
stocking policy, oil &
upstream gas
0300 068 5059
Alison Judd
Statistician,Grade 7
Coal, electricity,
downstream gas &
CHP
0300 068 5043
Vacant
Grade 6
Energy efficiency and
Renewables
Vacant
AS/AE/Higher Statistical
Officer
Econometrics
Mita Kerai
Higher Statistical
Officer, HEO
Coal, electricity,
downstream gas
0300 068 5044
James Hemingway
Higher Statistical
Officer,HEO
Coal, electricity,
downstream gas &
CHP
0300 068 5042
Ruhi Babbar
Student
Coal, electricity,
downstream gas &
CHP
0300 068 5046
Chris Michaels
EO
Electricity, downstream
gas
0300 068 5050
Vacant
Higher Statistical
Officer
Heat (ICCEE)
ICCEE - 2 (g7, as/SStO) on GD, 2 in ONNE (g7, hsto), 1 (ssto, smart)
Clive Sarjantson
AO
Administrative tasks,
Energy statistics team
0300 068 5056
Clive Evans
Manager, HEO
Upstream oil &
gas
0300 068 5040
Paul Gaught
Higher Statistical
Officer, HEO
Downstream oil
0300 068 5038
Laurent Ortmans
Higher Statistical
Officer, HEO
Emergency oil
stocks
0300 068 5052
Charanjit Ransi
Assist manager, EO
Downstream oil
0300 068 5055
Sebastien McClay
Student
Oil & gas
0300 068 5053
Legal framework
1. Range of legislation available includes
a. UK Stats of Trade Act 1947
b. UK Energy Act 1976
c. UK Gas Act 1986/1995
d. UK Electricity Act 1989
e. EU regulation on Energy Statistics 844/2010
f. Other EU directives and decisions
2. Mixed approach taken to data collection, some surveys
compulsory under above powers, other data collected
on voluntary basis.
Advantages
1. Closer to policy – helps statisticians
understand wider policy issues
2. Help with policy formulation
3. Better chance to influence administration
systems
4. Closer contact with data providers (energy
companies)
5. More knowledge of user needs
6. All statisticians are part of the GSS
(Government Statistical Service)
Disadvantages
1. Perceptions on trust
a. But have code of practice and UK
Stats Act, which govern behaviour
2. Lose some economies of scale
Other issues
1. Work closely with Government Statistical Colleagues
2. Movement of Statisticians between Departments
(Statisticians the Government Statistical Service)
3. 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)
4. DECC statistics, like all government statistics subject to
assessment and designation process (audit) to confirm
produced in line with code of practice
5. Issues of trust around pre-release access
(currently 24 hours in UK)
Key benefits of non NSI solution
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Evidence based policy making
Closeness to key policy customers
Closeness to energy supply companies
Involvement with Ministers
Breadth of work undertaken by statisticians
But we still maintain National Statistics focus
Head of Profession, not Ministers, responsible
for release dates and quality of outputs