CESSATIONS AND CHANGES TO SCOPE OF OFFICIAL STATISTICS:
GUIDANCE FOR HEADS OF PROFESSION1
1.
PRODUCER CONSIDERING CEASING THE PUBLICATION OF OFFICIAL
STATISTICS
1.1
Producers should inform the National Statistician of their intent to cease the
publication of official statistics in the following two sets of circumstances –
(a) where the producer is proposing to cease the publication of some statistics and is
seeking the views of users; and,
(b) where on the instructions of the person responsible (usually the Minister in charge
of the department), publication is to be ended immediately.
1.2
In both cases, the Head of Profession is asked to inform the National Statistician by
completing the template in Annex 1 of this document. The GSS Professional Support
team will use this information to provide advice to the National Statistician, conferring
with the Monitoring and Assessment Team as necessary.
1.3
In the case of immediate cessation, the Head of Profession should inform the
National Statistician at the earliest opportunity in order that he can decide upon the
appropriate action.
1.4
Where the producer is seeking the views of users prior to making a decision, the
Head of Profession is asked to inform the National Statistician at the time of the
consultation. The GSS Professional Support team will then inform others about the
consultation. In such circumstances, it will not be possible at that stage to fully
complete the section of the template regarding the impact on users. If, following the
consultation, a decision is taken to go ahead with the cessation then the Head of
Profession should update the template and resubmit to the National Statistician.
2.
PRODUCER WISHES TO CHANGE THE SCOPE OF OFFICIAL STATISTICS
2.1
Producers should also inform the National Statistician of their intent to change an
official statistics product where that change could potentially impact adversely on the
quality, comparability or coverage of the statistics.
2.2
If the product is fundamentally about the same topic, released in a similar way, and
uses similar data and/or methods then it remains in essence the same product. The
type of activities that might legitimately take place within that broad description
include improved sampling methods, an increased sample size, improvements to
coverage within the topic and refinements and/or improvements to the tables/charts
presented in the publication. The Code of Practice for Official Statistics requires
This guidance supersedes the document entitled ‘Designation of National Statistics: Framework’
issued to Heads of Profession on 10th August 2010.
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outputs to be developed in response to users’ wishes, methods to be continually
reviewed etc. In these circumstances, there is no need to inform the National
Statistician. If designated as National Statistics, the current designation would
continue.
2.3
However, there are many potential changes to a statistical output that could have a
potential impact on quality, coverage or comparability. These include, but are not
limited to where:
 the frequency of collection or publication is altered;
 survey sample sizes are reduced;
 methodology is changed in a manner which impacts either on comparability with
previous years’ figures or UK/international comparability;
 statistics or supplementary analysis are removed or added;
 a different type of statistic is produced (e.g. a ratio rather than counts);
 the output method is changed;
 the structure of the output is changed, either by consolidating two or more
products or splitting a single product;
 coverage of the publication is broadened to new topics outside the broad
boundary that defines the current scope; or
 the release is adapted to reflect new government policies/targets (in the sense
that something different is measured, not just that a different number is aimed
for).
2.4
Where a Head of Profession believes that that the sorts of changes made to a
product align with those described in paragraph 2.3 then he/she is asked to inform
the GSS Professional Support team using the template in Annex 2, who will use this
information to advise the National Statistician and the Head of Assessment.
2.5
In these circumstances, where the product in question is designated as National
Statistics, there may be a question as to whether this existing National Statistics
designation continues to apply. The Head of Assessment will therefore assess the
evidence provided by the producer, and may seek others’ views, to inform his own
view about what action may be necessary. This may range from no action being
required at all, to whether the proposed change(s) appears significant enough to
warrant a re-assessment taking place.
Annex 1: Template for reporting cessations to Official Statistics:
Name of output:
Description of statistics:
Status:
Proposed / Confirmed
Reasons for cessation:
Date of cessation:
Proposed date if consultation
still underway.
Details of user consultation:
Include:
 Details of how users
alerted to consultation;
 Length of consultation
period; and
 Relevant links.
Assessment of impact on
users:
Complete as far as is possible if
currently awaiting outcome of
consultation. Include details of
other sources of statistics,
whether official or otherwise,
that may be used as
alternatives.
Net impact on departmental
statistical expenditure:
Distinguish between actual
reductions in statistical
expenditure and savings
reinvested into other statistical
outputs.
Please submit to: gss.enquiries@ons.gsi.gov.uk
Annex 2: Template for reporting changes to the scope of Official Statistics:
Name of output:
Description of statistics:
Status:
Proposed / Confirmed
Description of (proposed)
change(s):
Reasons for change:
Date of change:
Proposed date if consultation still
underway.
Details of user consultation:
Include:
 Details of how users
alerted to consultation;
 Length of consultation
period; and
 Relevant links.
Assessment of impact on
users:
Complete as far as is possible if
currently awaiting outcome of
consultation.
Net impact on departmental
statistical expenditure:
Distinguish between actual
reductions in statistical
expenditure and savings
reinvested into other statistical
outputs.
Please submit to: gss.enquiries@ons.gsi.gov.uk