Code of Practice for Official Statistics in Jersey.

STATES OF JERSEY

CODE OF PRACTICE FOR OFFICIAL STATISTICS IN JERSEY

Presented to the States on 21st May 2015 by the Council of Ministers

STATES GREFFE

2015   Price code: C  R.63

REPORT Introduction by the Council of Ministers

The highest quality official statistics produced impartially are essential to the success and good governance of any jurisdiction.

Only in receipt of the highest quality statistics can informed decisions be made about the  future  of our  Island, helping  us  achieve  the  goals  we set  ourselves.  No  less important, these statistics must be wholly impartial and above reproach, showcasing Jersey as a jurisdiction that is committed to the highest standards.

The Council of Ministers believes that Jersey is excellently served in these areas, with a growing breadth of high quality statistics being produced by the Statistics Unit around the condition of our economy and society.

In recognition of this, the Council of Ministers present the attached Code of Practice on behalf of, and at the request of, the Statistics User Group.

The aim is to create a single document outlining how official statistics work in our Island, clearly stating the absolute importance and inviolability of impartiality and quality when it comes to official statistics.

The Statistics Users Group

The Statistics Users Group ("the Group") was established by the States of Jersey in 1999 as an independent body to oversee the quality, relevance and integrity of the statistics compiled by or on behalf of States' Departments1.

The Statistics Users Group has produced this Code of Practice in order to ensure an independent and professional statistical service for the people of Jersey and for all users of statistical information relating to Jersey.

The  Code  of  Practice  for  Official  Statistics  in Jersey  closely  follows that  of  the United Kingdom2, modified in order to reflect the different organisational structure

and scale of the production of official statistics in the two jurisdictions.

It is envisaged by the Statistics Users Group that the Code of Practice will evolve over time. Hence, the Group will update the Code of Practice as required.

1 The role of the Group, its terms of reference and membership procedures are summarised in

the Annex to this Code of Practice.

2 UK Statistics Authority: Code of Practice for Official Statistics, January 2009.

CODE OF PRACTICE FOR OFFICIAL STATISTICS IN JERSEY

Introduction

Official statistics are fundamental to good government, to the delivery of public services and to decision-making in all sectors of society. They provide the States of Jersey and the Public with a picture of society and the economy, and on the work and performance of government.

Observance of a Code of Practice by public bodies that produce official statistics is central to maintaining a professional, independent statistical service that meets the needs of government and society, and is both trustworthy and trusted.

For the purposes of this Code of Practice, official statistics' are defined as statistics produced by the States of Jersey Statistics Unit.

This Code of Practice is consistent with the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics[3] and the European Statistics Code of Practice[4].

The Code contains 8 principles and, in relation to each, a statement of associated practices. It also contains 2 protocols on the processes governing the release of official statistics and the rules relating to the granting of pre-release' access to official statistics.

The principles and protocols of the Code of Practice are intended to ensure that –

• the range of statistics produced by the Statistics Unit meets the needs of users;
• the statistics are produced, managed and disseminated to high standards;
• the statistics are clearly and objectively explained by the producers.

Implementation

It is the intention of the Statistics Users Group that this Code of Practice will, in its initial implementation, be applicable to all statistics produced by the Statistics Unit.

In time, other States of Jersey Departments will be encouraged to submit statistics for assessment by the Statistics Users Group as being compliant with this Code of Practice.

Definitions

The Code uses the following terminology –

• production, management and dissemination of official statistics

refers to the entire statistical process from the identification of needs, to the decision to collect or compile data, through to providing advice to the user;

• statistical report:

means any statistical output, including any associated commentary and metadata.

Principle 1: Meeting user needs

The production, management and dissemination of official statistics should meet the requirements of informed decision-making by government and the States Assembly as a primary user of official statistics, and also of other providers of public services, businesses, researchers and the Public.

Practices

1. Engage with users of statistics to promote trust and maximise value.
2. Investigate the needs of users of official statistics, the use made of existing statistics and the types of decision they inform.
3. Adopt systematic statistical planning arrangements that reflect the obligation to serve the public good.
4. Publish statistical reports according to a published timetable that takes account of user needs.

Principle 2: Impartiality and objectivity

Official statistics, and information about statistical processes, should be managed impartially and objectively.

Practices

1. Publish statistical reports in an orderly manner, in accordance with Protocol 1.
2. Present statistics impartially and objectively.
3. Make official statistics equally available to all, subject to the pre-release access detailed in Protocol 2.
4. Announce changes to methods or classifications well in advance of the release of the affected statistics.
5. Provide a statement explaining the nature of revisions at the same time that they are released.
6. Correct errors discovered in statistical reports, and alert stakeholders, promptly.
7. Release all regular statistical reports on the Internet without charge to the user.

Principle 3: Integrity

At  all  stages  in  the  production,  management  and  dissemination  of  official statistics,  the  public  interest  should  prevail  over  organisational,  political  or personal interests.

Practices

1. Issue statistical reports separately from any other statement or comment about the  figures  and  ensure  that  no  statement  or  comment –  based  on  prior knowledge – is issued to the press or published ahead of the publication of the statistics.
2. Ensure that those producing statistical reports are protected from any political pressures that might influence the production or presentation of the statistics.
3. Follow  all  statutory  obligations  and  internationally  endorsed  guidelines governing the collection of data, confidentiality, and release.
4. Inform  the  Chief  Statistician  about  complaints  that  relate  to professional integrity, quality or standards, whether or not they can be resolved directly.
5. Promote a culture within which statistical experts in government can comment publicly on statistical issues, including the misuse of official statistics.

Principle 4: Sound methods and assured quality

Statistical  methods  should  be  consistent  with  scientific  principles  and internationally  recognised  best  practices,  and  be  fully  documented.  Quality should  be  monitored  and  assured  taking  account  of  internationally  agreed practices.

Practices

1. Ensure that official statistics are produced according to scientific principles. Publish details of the methods adopted.
2. Ensure that official statistics are produced to a level of quality that meets users' needs.
3. Seek  to achieve  continuous  improvement  in statistical  processes  by,  for example, undertaking regular reviews.
4. Promote  comparability  internationally  by,  for  example,  adopting  common standards, concepts, sampling frames, questions, definitions, statistical units and classifications. Make the reasons for any deviations from standard models publicly available.
5. Where time series are revised, or changes are made to methods or coverage, produce consistent historical data where possible.

Principle 5: Confidentiality

Private  information  about  individual  persons  (including  bodies  corporate) compiled in the production of official statistics is confidential, and should be used for statistical purposes only.

Practices

1. Ensure that official statistics do not reveal the identity of an individual or organisation, or any private information relating to them, taking into account other relevant sources of information.
2. Keep confidential information secure. Only permit its use by trained staff who have signed a declaration covering their obligations under this Code.
3. Inform respondents to statistical surveys and censuses how confidentiality will be protected.
4. Ensure that arrangements for confidentiality protection are sufficient to protect the privacy of individual information, but not so restrictive as to limit unduly the practical utility of official statistics. Publish details of such arrangements.
5. In  every  case  where  confidential  statistical  records  are  exchanged  for statistical  purposes with  a  third  party,  prepare  written  confidentiality protection agreements covering the requirements under this Code. Keep an operational record to detail the manner and purpose of the processing.

Principle 6: Proportionate burden

The cost burden on data suppliers should not be excessive and should be assessed relative to the benefits arising from the use of the statistics.

Practices

1. Seek participation in statistical surveys through informed consent, rather than using statutory powers, wherever possible.
2. Promote statistical purposes actively in the design of administrative systems in order to enhance the statistical potential of administrative records.
3. Consider the costs of proposed new data requirements (to data suppliers) against the potential benefits.
4. Evaluate existing data sources and estimation techniques before undertaking new surveys.

Principle 7: Resources

The  resources  allocated by  the  States  of  Jersey to  official  statistics  activities should, within the broader financial constraints of government expenditure, be sufficient to meet the requirements of this Code and should be used efficiently and effectively.

Practices

1. From the budget allocated to official statistics by the States of Jersey, and through  appropriate  prioritisation  of  work  programmes  by  the  Chief Statistician, ensure that the designated resources are used appropriately to produce, manage and disseminate official statistics to the standards of this Code.
2. Ensure  that  records  are  maintained  showing  the  relationship  between  the statistical planning process, the work programme, the allocation of resources, and the outcomes.
3. Monitor  expenditure  against  work  programmes  and  demonstrate  effective stewardship of resources allocated to statistical work.
4. Seek to balance quality (for example, accuracy and timeliness) against costs (including both costs to government and data suppliers), taking into account the expected uses of the statistics.
5. Ensure  that  appropriately  skilled  people  are  employed  in the  statistical production  process.  Use  an  appropriate  competence  framework  to set  the requirements  of  statistical  posts  and  the  development  needs  of  staff,  and support  staff  in developing  their  statistical,  management  and  subject  area knowledge.

Principle 8: Frankness and accessibility

Official statistics, accompanied by full and frank commentary, should be readily accessible to all users

Practices

1. Provide information on the quality and reliability of statistics in relation to the range of potential uses, and on methods, procedures, and classifications.
2. Prepare and disseminate commentary and analysis that aid interpretation, and provide factual information about the policy or operational context of official statistics. Adopt formats for the presentation of statistics in graphs, tables and maps that enhance clarity, interpretability and consistency.
3. Make  statistics  available  in  as  much  detail  as  is reliable  and  practicable, subject to legal and confidentiality constraints, offering choice and flexibility in the format according to the level of detail required by the user.

4. Publicise official statistics in ways that enable users to identify and access information  relevant  to their  needs.  Make  access  to official  statistics  as straightforward as possible by providing easy-to-use entry points.
5. Ensure that official statistics are disseminated in forms that, as far as possible, are  accessible  to  a  range  of  different  audiences,  including  those  with disabilities.
6. Ensure  that  official  statistics  are  disseminated  in  forms  that  enable  and encourage analysis and re-use.

Protocol 1 – Release practices

Statistical  reports  should  be  released  into  the  public  domain  in  an  orderly manner that promotes public confidence and gives equal access to all, subject to relevant legislation.

Practices

1. Release statistical reports as soon as they are judged, by the Chief Statistician, to be ready, so that there is no opportunity, or perception of opportunity, for the release to be withheld or delayed.
2. Publish a timetable of statistical releases for the 12 months ahead in December of each year.
3. Issue each statistical report at the standard time of 00:01 on the corresponding pre-announced release date.
4. Ensure  that  all  official  statistics  published  by  the  Statistics  Unit  can  be accessed from the States of Jersey website at the standard release time of 00:01.
5. Draw public attention to any change to a pre-announced release date and explain  fully  the  reasons  for  the  change  at  the  same  time.  The Chief Statistician  has  the  final  decision  and  should  not  be  influenced  by  non- statistical matters.
6. For  years  in which  elections  to the  States  Assembly  are  to be  held,  the timetable for statistical releases will incorporate a moratorium on the release of statistical reports by the Statistics Unit. Such a period will be applied from the first Electoral Assembly (nomination meeting) to the first Monday after Election Day. The Statistics Unit will endeavour to publish statistical reports in a timely manner before any such moratorium, based only on statistical considerations.
7. Subject to the rules and principles on pre-release access set out in Protocol 2, limit access before public release to those people essential for production and publication, and for quality assurance and operational purposes.
8. Ensure that government statements issued alongside official statistics, and referring to, or based upon, them –
   1. clearly refer to the source of the statistics;
   2. are labelled clearly as policy statements (or ministerial statements) and are readily distinguished from a statistical release; and
   3. meet basic professional standards (for example, statistics should be cited accurately).
9. Include departmental contact details in statistical reports.

Protocol 2 – Pre-release access

In order to facilitate meaningful public debate and to permit time for users to understand  and  respond  to  the  information  during  normal  working  hours, statistical  reports  will  be  made  available  to  specified  individuals  and organisations who are not involved in the production of official statistics.

General Principles

1. Pre-release access is exceptional and is only granted on the merits of each particular case.
2. The decisions  and  conditions  determining  pre-release  access,  where  it  is granted, are those of the Chief Statistician.
3. The Chief Statistician will determine the period of pre-release access granted.
4. The Chief Statistician will withdraw pre-release access from any person or organisation judged to have breached the condition of their access. The Chief Statistician will consider any mitigating circumstances and alter the sanction accordingly.

Practices

5. Publish records of those outside of the statistical production and publication processes who have access prior to release.
6. Ensure that no indication of the substance of a statistical report is made public, or given to the media or any other party not recorded as eligible for access before publication. Report to the Chief Statistician immediately any accidental or wrongful release, and investigate the circumstances.

ANNEX

THE STATISTICS USERS GROUP FUNCTION, STRUCTURE AND APPOINTMENT PROCESS

Function

The Statistics Users Group ("the Group") was established by the States of Jersey in 1999 (Proposition P.142/99) as an independent body to oversee the quality, relevance and integrity of the statistics compiled by or on behalf of States' Departments.

In 2006 the Group reconfirmed its Terms of Reference –

1. To review and comment upon any official statistics prepared or proposed to be prepared, by or on behalf of the States of Jersey as regards –

• the range of statistics provided;
• the relevance and appropriateness of the statistics to the purposes for which they are used;
• the demands placed upon providers of information, whether it be provided on a voluntary or compulsory basis;
• the confidentiality of information concerning individuals and businesses;
• the methodology by which those statistics are compiled and their resultant accuracy and reliability;
• the  independence  of  the  compilation  and  dissemination  process  from political or other inappropriate influence; and
• the  form  and  procedures  through  which  statistical  information  is disseminated.

Drawing upon such expert advice as seems to them appropriate and having regard to the resources required.

2. To make such recommendations to the Chief Minister as are appropriate.

The  Group  meets  quarterly;  its  minutes  are  published  on  the  web-page: http://www.gov.je/Government/JerseyWorld/StatisticsUnit/AboutStatisticsUnit/Pages/ StatisticsUsersGroup.aspx

Structure and appointments process The Group consists of –

• a Chairman
• up to 10 regular Members
• the Chief Statistician of the States of Jersey as ex-officio Secretary.

The Chairman and Group Members are appointed for a period not exceeding 3 years from the general public and from persons nominated by interested bodies.

In the most recent round of appointments (2012–13) –

• the Chairman was approved by the States Assembly through a Proposition brought  by  the  Chief  Minister  (P.137/2012),  the  nominee  having  been approved by the Jersey Appointments Commission;
• the  current  9 Members  of  the  Group  were  appointed  through  Ministerial Decision by the Chief Minister, the nominees having been approved by the Jersey Appointments Commission.

For future rounds of appointment to the Group, it has been proposed by the Chief Minister that all nominees (for Chairman and Members) are to be approved by the States Assembly through a Proposition brought by the Council of Ministers, after the nominees have firstly been approved by the Jersey Appointments Commission.

The current membership status of the Group is –

Chairman:  appointed January 2013; Members (9):  appointed September 2012.

Pre-release access

Statistics Unit: www.gov.je/statistics  

Following the general principles and practices specified under Protocol 2 of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics in Jersey, the following recipients will be granted access to the publications of the States of Jersey Statistics Unit under the given periods of pre-release access.

Ministers and Senior Officers

The Chief Statistician will endeavour, where practical, to invite specified Ministers, Chief Officers and senior officers to attend statistical briefings. The usual pre-release period of such briefings will be up to, but not exceeding, 24 hours.

The Chief Minister, the Minister for Treasury and Resources and their respective Assistant  Ministers  will  be  invited  to  attend  all  such  statistical  briefings:  Other Ministers and Assistant Ministers will be invited to briefings which relate directly to their area of ministerial responsibility.

The Chief Officer of the Chief Minister's Department and the Treasurer of the States of Jersey will be invited to attend all statistical briefings. Other Chief Officers and senior  officers  will  be  invited  to  briefings  which  relate  directly  to  their  area  of responsibility.

States Assembly

All elected Members of the States of Jersey Assembly will be given a usual period of pre-release access to all Statistics Unit publications of up to, but not exceeding, 12 hours.

Senior officers

The Corporate Management Board of the States of Jersey will be given a usual period of pre-release access to all Statistics Unit publications of up to, but not exceeding, 12 hours.

Media organisations

Journalists representing official media organisations will be given access to statistical releases in order to give them time to absorb and understand the significance of a given release.

The usual period of access for this purpose will be up to, but not exceeding 12 hours, and will be at least one hour less than the pre-release access afforded to States Members.