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
We have already blogged about how the UK’s statistics on research and development (R&D) are the subject of a programme of fundamental transformation. We are improving our main survey to capture a much wider group of businesses to better reflect the true extent of R&D undertaken in the UK. Now we also improving our measurement of R&D undertaken by the UK government and its agencies. Heather Bovill talks about how we are improving these estimates of what R&D the government is paying for and, importantly, where it is taking place.
Read more on Transforming R&D statistics on Government-funded research & development News headlines this month proclaimed the UK has ‘narrowly avoided recession’. In ‘Recessions, GDP and Beyond’, the latest episode of our ‘Statistically Speaking’ podcast, we decode the ‘r’ word and explain why this sometimes misleading term is one the ONS is often cautious to avoid.
Read more on The ‘R’ Word: What exactly is a ‘recession’ anyway?
Since 2011, the ONS has been measuring ‘National Well-being’ to evaluate how we are doing as a nation. National Well-being includes the things that people have told us matter most to them, across the environment, society and economy. Here Liz McKeown looks at our GDP & Beyond work, focusing on responses to our recent online survey reviewing how we measure National Well-being.
Read more on What matters most to people in the UK and has that changed over time?
The end of the Brexit transition period, the post-pandemic recovery and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have all provoked heightened interest in the ONS trade figures, especially trade by country. While direct imports and exports between the UK and other countries are the most obvious data point, it’s often important to also know where goods have originated from.
With new figures looking at the impact of sanctions on the UK’s trade with Russia published this morning, in this post Hannah Donnarumma explains the different ways of looking at import figures, and the different perspectives they offer.
Read more on Different ways of measuring trade: Where do our imports come from?