Information

Scottish Parliament election: 7 May. This site won't be routinely updated during the pre-election period.

Review of pre-release access in Scotland

An independent review of the practice of allowing pre-release access (PRA) to official statistics ahead of publication in Scotland.


References

1 United Kingdom Public General Acts (UKPGA) Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007

2 United Kingdom Statistics Authority (UKSA). Legislation: Pre-release access

3 Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill

4 Office for National Statistics (June 2017).

5 Pre-release access (England). GOV.UK (Updated November 2024).

6 Office for Statistics Regulation (2025) Accredited official statistics: November 2024.

7 Pre-release access (England). GOV.UK.

8 Pre-release access (Wales) (Updated May 2025).

9 Pre-release access (Northern Ireland) https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-support-for-higher-education-in-northern-ireland-2024/pre-release-access-northern-ireland (November 2024).

10 United Nations Statistics Division, UNSD (2022). Handbook on Management and Organization of National Statistical Systems. 4th Edition of the Handbook of the Statistical organisation. Version 2022/A. Chapter 3.2 (UN Fundamental Principals of Official Statistics).

11 United Nations Statistics Division, UNSD (2014). Principles governing international statistical activities. Committee for the coordination of statistical activities.

12 Eurostat (2017). European Statistics Code of Practice for the National Statistical Authorities and Eurostat, Adopted by the EESC 16th November 2017.

13 UK Statistics Authority. (January 2009). Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Edition 1.0.

14 Alleva, G and Gandolfo, M. (2020) Pre-release access to official statistics: the deep difference between privilege access to government and to media.

15 Statistics Authority calls time on Ministers’ 24-hour early access to official statistics – UK Statistics Authority

16 UK Statistics Authority. (March 2010). Pre-Release Access to Official Statistics: A review of the statutory arrangements. Monitoring report 6.

17 Office for National Statistics. (June 2017).

18 Tarran, B. (2017), UK statisticians call for end to pre-release access to official statistics. Significance, 14: 4-5.

19 National Centre for Social Research (2015) Public confidence in official statistics.

20 National Centre for Social Research (2017) Public confidence in official statistics – 2016.

21 National Centre for Social Research (2019) Public confidence in official statistics – 2018.

22 Independent Review of the UK Statistics Authority by Professor Denise Lievesley CBE. Updated 12 March 2024.

23 Royal Statistical Society (2024) RSS statement on the Lievesley review of the UK statistics authority and the Cabinet Office response to it.

24 Royal Statistical Society (2024) The Royal Statistical Society calls for statistical training for ministers and an end to prerelease access to statistics in the run up to the general election.

25 Cabinet Office (2010) Review of prerelease access to official statistics

26 Scottish Government (2024) Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2023 - Attitudes to Government, the Economy, and the Health Service.

27 Office for Statistics Regulation (2024) State of the Statistical System 2024

Contact

Email: statistics.enquiries@gov.scot

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