National Statistical

We recognise that in recent years some of our key economic statistics have not met users’ expectations on quality and trustworthiness. Today we have published two detailed plans to urgently improve the quality of our key economic outputs and the surveys underpinning them. As Acting Director General for Economic Statistics Grant Fitzner explains, these include improvements in data collection and statistical production and address underlying resourcing issues to add resilience for the future.      

The Chancellor of the Exchequer recently asked the National Statistician to review its measures of public sector productivity. Grant Fitzner writes about how this work is progressing and why measuring public service productivity is more challenging than other areas of the economy. 

For decades, one of the main fiscal targets of the Government has been to reduce the level of public sector debt. This covers not just central government but also local councils and state-controlled companies. Debt estimates are presented every month in the public sector balance sheet, which shows the financial position at a single point in time. The balance sheet sets out the liabilities (amounts owed) and the assets (amounts owned), in line with international statistical guidance. However, there are several different balance sheet measures, some broader in scope than others. How do they differ?

The sharp rise in consumer prices inflation revealed in the latest monthly data has inevitably prompted speculation about what’s to come. To fully understand the new figures, however, it’s important to remember that we have just passed the first anniversary of the pandemic. As Grant Fitzner explains, the statistical effects of that landmark need to unravel before the real the path of inflation and other economic statistics becomes clear.