Economy | Page 19 | National Statistical

Measuring the digital economy: Is history about to be rewritten?

Richard Heys
January 19, 2018

Categories: Economy

How properly to measure the impact of digital technology is a big challenge for statisticians and economists the world over. Media reports have suggested that historic mismeasurement of the telecoms sector means that the UK’s recent economic history will have to be significantly rewritten. As ONS Deputy Economist Richard Heys explains, it really isn’t as simple as that.

Using credit card payments data for the public good

Tom Smith
December 13, 2017

Categories: Data, Economy

The intelligent use of data gathered by our leading financial institutions can result in faster, more detailed economic statistics. Tom Smith describes how a joint event staged by ONS and Barclaycard illustrates the vast statistical potential of anonymised payments data.

The inflation story – history of prices measurement told for the first time in new book

Dr Jeff Ralph
November 24, 2017

Categories: Economy, ONS

The monthly UK consumer prices release is one of our most closely-watched outputs. Not least by the Governor of the Bank of England who must explain to the Chancellor when inflation misses its target. Now the long history of UK prices measurement is the subject of a new book charting the development of its complex methodologies and the people and institutions behind them. As co-author and ONS Methodologist Dr Jeff Ralph explains, it all began with a handful of pioneers and visionaries.

New data will give ONS a uniquely detailed view of the UK economy

Nick Vaughan
November 20, 2017

Categories: Economy, ONS

The Office for National Statistics is poised to start using VAT data from thousands of firms to produce its estimates of GDP. Chief Economist Nick Vaughan explains how this innovation will provide a much clearer view of economic performance by sector and area.

Thinking in multiple dimensions – The challenge of understanding ‘Flow of Funds’

Richard Campbell
November 17, 2017

Categories: Economy, ONS

As ONS updates its ‘Flow of Funds’ statistics, Richard Campbell explains how new these new data are helping policy makers to see the build up of risks in the financial system.