A report provided the initial findings from the 2013 Learning Disability Census. The census was undertaken following recommendations arising from the Winterbourne View Hospital inquiry, and provided an individual record-level snapshot of inpatients with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder and/or behaviour that challenges, and the services they received, for service users who were inpatients in NHS and independent services. The census would be re-run in September 2014.
Source: Learning Disabilities Census Report: England, 30 September 2013, Health and Social Care Information Centre
Links: Report | Summary | HSCIC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Dec
The Office for National Statistics began consultation on the future of the population Census in England and Wales. It said that improvements in technology and in government data sources offered opportunities to either modernize the existing Census process or develop an alternative method that reused existing data already held within government. The consultation focused on two alternative approaches: a Census held once a decade, like that conducted most recently in 2011, but primarily online; or using existing government data and compulsory annual surveys. Both approaches would provide statistics about the size of the population, nationally and for local authorities. A Census using existing data and surveys would provide more statistics about the characteristics of the population every year, whereas an online Census would provide more detailed statistics once a decade.
Source: The Census and Future Provision of Population Statistics in England and Wales: Public consultation, Office for National Statistics
Links: Consultation document | ONS press release | RSS press release | Daily Mail report | Guardian report | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Sep
A paper examined problems in obtaining timely information on social developments within European Union countries. It said the lack of fresh data on the social situation of households hampered the monitoring of poverty and inequalities, as well as the assessment of the impact of the crisis and policy responses on households.
Source: Paul Minty and Isabelle Maquet-Engsted, Data Sources for the Timely Monitoring of the Social Situation in EU Member States, Working Paper 2/2013, European Commission
Links: Paper
Date: 2013-Jul
A report outlined 35 cases in which it said claims made by the coalition government using statistics on the subject of work and benefits had fallen short of the standards expected of government ministers. It said that the cases demonstrated a consistent pattern of abuse of official statistics by the coalition government in order to paint a false picture of benefit claimants, and to support cost-cutting policies that harmed people who were jobless, sick or disabled.
Source: Report into Abuse of Statistics by the Department for Work and Pensions and UK Government Ministers, Disabled People Against Cuts
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jun
The official statistics watchdog ruled that the Conservative party chairman (Grant Shapps MP) had been incorrect to claim in March 2013 that: '878,300 people claiming incapacity benefit – more than a third of the total – have chosen to drop their benefit claim entirely rather than face a medical assessment'. It said that the figure quoted by Shapps appeared to conflate official statistics relating to new claimants of employment and support allowance with official statistics on recipients of incapacity benefit who were being migrated across to employment and support allowance. It also referred to government research suggesting that an important reason why employment and support allowance claims were withdrawn or closed before they were fully assessed was that the person had recovered, and either returned to work or claimed a benefit more appropriate to their situation.
Source: Letter to Sheila Gilmore MP, 29 May 2013, UK Statistics Authority
Links: Letter | Labour Party press release | BBC report | Guardian report | New Statesman report
Date: 2013-May
The statistics watchdog upheld a complaint over the coalition government's use of official statistics to argue that its benefits cap was having 'the desired impact' of making those affected find jobs. It said that the claim was not supported by the figures, and was a breach of the code of practice on their use.
Source: Letter 9 May 2013, UK Statistics Authority
Links: Letter | TUC press release | TUC blog post | Labour Party press release | BBC report | Guardian report | New Statesman report
Date: 2013-May
A report by a committee of MPs said that producers of government statistics did not always present their figures in the clearest way, or give a true and fair picture of the reality behind the figures.
Source: Communicating Statistics: Not just true but also fair, First Report (Session 2013–14), HC 190, House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Committee press release | RSS press release | Guardian report | Public Finance report | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-May
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on public trust in government statistics. It rejected a proposal to change the arrangements for 'pre-release access' by ministers to official statistics.
Source: Public Trust in Government Statistics: A review of the operation of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 – Government and UK Statistics Authority Responses to the Committee's Ninth Report of Session 2012-13, First Special Report (Session 2013–14), HC 77, House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | RSS press release
Notes: MPs report (February 2013)
Date: 2013-May
A report by a committee of MPs expressed concerns about the way in which government statistics were produced and disseminated, which it said remained a genuine risk to public confidence in the statistical system.
Source: Public Trust in Government Statistics: A review of the operation of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, Ninth Report (Session 2012–13), HC 406, House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Committee press release | RSS press release | BBC report | Public Finance report
Date: 2013-Feb