UK Energy Statistics Institutional arrangements Iain Mac Leay

UK Energy Statistics – Institutional arrangements Iain Mac. Leay – 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 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 (Ho. P) 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

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