Code of Practice for Statistics: compliance statement

Purpose

The Scottish Government is committed to producing and publishing official statistics that meet the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value as set out in the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice for Statistics.

Principles

There are several key themes we feel underscores the Code that allows for fit for purpose statistical and analytical work.

The Code as an enabler

We see the Code in a permissive way; it is a key that enables the practical release of statistics that provides value for society rather than a lock that prevents us from being responsive and innovative.

Producing statistics for the public good

We take seriously that statistics are impartial and free from political influence, and that they should serve the wider public good.

Producing statistics for the public good means that statistics can be used widely to inform understanding and shape action. This means that official statistics are not just for Government and Ministers, but also serve a wider range of users and needs, including informing public discussion and debate.

Openness and transparency

We have a duty in the Code to be open to users about the production of statistics and the decisions we make to build trust. We think of this as an ongoing dialogue with users to help them understand:

• what we are publishing, including its strengths and limitations
• when we are publishing – a specific date and time four weeks before publication where possible
• how we are publishing – being clear on the status of the publication – official statistics, official statistics in development, accredited official statistics.
• why we are publishing – what needs are we meeting with the release
• why we are not publishing certain things some users might want

 Pragmatism and proportionality

We believe that the production of official statistics should be proportionate to the required uses, making pragmatic decisions to ensure that statistics are fit for the purpose to which they are being used.

Innovation and improvement

We prioritise innovation and ongoing improvement in the production of official statistics in Scottish Government. Encouraging continual improvement in line with our statistics strategic priorities to improve the value of statistics to users.

Statistical leadership

We welcome the Code empowering statistical leaders across organisations rather than the Chief Statistician having sole authority on statistical decision making. This is how we operate in Scotland where decisions are made at a divisional and team level reflecting their understanding of their users’ needs.

How we demonstrate trustworthiness

Integrity and independence

Scottish Government statisticians operate with professional integrity and independence. The Office of the Chief Statistician provides leadership, oversight and develops the profession to ensure statistics are produced free from political interference to produce statistics for the public good. This is clearly understood by Ministers and the analytical professions. Statistical outputs are produced by professional statisticians who apply rigorous quality assurance procedures at all stages of production.

Transparency

We are transparent about our methods, data sources, and quality assurance processes. We publish detailed methodology documents, quality reports, and technical guidance alongside our statistics. We are open about the limitations of our data and any areas where we are working to improve quality.

We release our statistics in a transparent and orderly way. More information is available in our release practice policy.

Where it is necessary to make revisions or corrections to our published statistics these are done in line with our revisions and corrections policy .

Data governance

We have robust data governance arrangements in place, including compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We publish Data Protection Impact Assessments where appropriate, ensuring all processing is lawful and proportionate.

Further information is available in our data management policy and our confidentiality policy.

How we demonstrate quality

Quality management

We apply the European Statistical System's dimensions of quality (relevance, accuracy, timeliness, accessibility, comparability, and coherence) to all our statistical outputs. Each statistical topic area maintains specific quality assurance procedures appropriate to their data sources and methods.

Further information on how we manage quality is outlined in our quality management statement.

Methods and standards

We use harmonised concepts, definitions and classifications wherever possible to ensure comparability across outputs and over time. Where we deviate from standard approaches, we explain our rationale and any plans to align with best practice.

Continuous improvement

We undertake regular reviews of our statistical processes and outputs, including peer evaluation against the Code of Practice. We proactively identify areas for improvement as per the statistics strategic priorities and work collaboratively across government and with external partners to enhance quality.

How we demonstrate value

User engagement

We engage actively with users through multiple channels including the ScotStat email network, blog posts, consultations, surveys, workshops and direct engagement. We seek to understand the needs of both current and potential users, including policy makers, researchers, the media, and the public.

Each of our statistical teams publishes an annual work programme and user engagement statement which describes the work of our teams and the ways in which users can engage with our teams.

Accessibility

We make our statistics readily accessible to all users through our website, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards. We use plain English wherever possible and provide visualisations, interactive tools, and guidance to support interpretation.

Further information is available in our accessibility statement.

Prioritisation

We encourage prioritisation of finite resources to produce statistics to meet the breadth of user needs as best as possible. This means we encourage new developments, but to make space for this we need to review processes and deprioritise what adds less value. At times it may mean stopping, pausing or reducing the frequency of the publication of statistics. In these cases, we are committed to communicating the reasons for change to our users.