Course description
Statistics in Government
The module provides an overview of issues and ideas concerning the scope and organisation of Official Statistics and its processes and products, including Statistical Acts and Codes of Practice.
The module provides a general foundation for the more detailed study of these elements and identifies links with other relevant disciplines
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Outcome / Qualification etc.
Credits: 5 ECTS
Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Explain the role that collaboration, peer review, openness and the development and application of international standards and classifications play in enhancing the value of official statistics.
- Describe the fundamental issues underlying the organisation of Official Statistics and be able to apply this knowledge in discussing the relative merits of alternative approaches.
- Apply procedures for measuring and understanding data quality in official statistics and use these processes for monitoring and improvement.
Training Course Content
- Overview of the importance of statistics, policy and administrative uses.
- History of the development of official statistics in the UK.
- UK Fundamental Principles: EU Law for Statistics; UK Framework for National Statistics: roles and responsibilities; Nature of National Statistics Acts; The UK Statistics and Registration Service Act; The benefits / dis-benefits of a UK Statistics Act.
- Code of Practice: Contents and intentions; Key issues.
- Models for quality, quality framework and public trust in Official Statistics.
- Scientific Principles for Official Statistics - brief overview of the role of conceptual frameworks (eg sampling, national accounts, etc.); Role of international organisations (UN, OECD, EU, IMF, etc) and standards (SNA, BoP5, classification system - ISIC, CPA, IDC, etc); Role of city groups in development; Role of international peer review.
- Organisational issues: Centralisation, decentralisation, devolution ; Management of National Statistical Offices: Key issues; Professional Issues, ethics, professional bodies.
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