In this episode of Statistically Speaking we shine the spotlight on local data and look at how good statistics for small areas make for better targeted policy interventions, and more effective use of valuable public resources.
Read more on Local Data for Local People: How new data sources are helping to calibrate communities
Productivity has been a topic of great interest in recent years, especially because of the well-known ‘productivity puzzle’ – the historically weak productivity growth in the UK since the economic downturn in 2008.
But if that is a puzzle, here is another one – how do you measure the productivity of public services, like education or healthcare, when they are provided for free? Since 2005, ONS has developed suitable measures for over half of public services, but there is still much to do. In this blog Josh Martin explains how the ONS measures the productivity of public services.
Read more on The hardest part of productivity measurement
On any ranking, devising new trade policy for after Brexit and solving the productivity puzzle must be among the biggest economic policy challenges facing the UK. Following the latest ONS labour productivity release, Philip Wales highlights new work that shows how trade and productivity are closely related.
Read more on Two economic policy challenges walk into a bar. One says to the other: ‘Are we related?’
While other countries have seen similar slowdowns, the dip in UK productivity growth has been deeper and more persistent. In a special article for The Spectator, Richard Heys examines the puzzle and explains the work going on to improve productivity measurement at ONS.
Read more on The productivity puzzle – “The key economic issue of our age.”