Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order 2008

rose to move, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order 2008. The noble Lord said: This order is part of a wider programme of work implementing the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007—many Members of the Committee will have very happy memories debating that last year—which gained Royal Assent in summer 2007. The order relates to the principles and rules to be followed when granting pre-release access to official statistics. The rules, along with the UK Statistics Authority’s code of practice for official statistics, will be used as the authority’s benchmark for its formal assessment of national statistics. Pre-release access to statistics is access primarily by Ministers and officials to the final statistical data in the form in which they are to be published in advance of their release. The aim of pre-release access is to enable such Ministers at the time of release to account for the implications of the policy areas for which they are responsible. Additionally, it allows Ministers and their supporting officials to take any immediate action that might be required in the light of the statistical information being released. Following careful consideration of responses to its consultation on this matter, the Government propose to tighten the rules under which pre-release access can be granted. Pre-release access will be limited to a strict maximum of 24 hours, reduced from up to five working days at present. It will be limited to the minimum necessary number of people and a minimum number of statistics. Where pre-release access is granted, it shall be done in an open and transparent manner, with details documented and published at the time of release. The need for pre-release access to a publication and the people who are to be granted access will be reviewed ahead of release of the relevant statistics. The decisions on pre-release access will be led by the head of profession for statistics for each government department. Each department will publish the arrangements that it has put in place to implement the pre-release regulations. Access will also continue to be allowed in a limited number of special circumstances, reflecting current policy, to allow, for example, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England to make decisions about interest rates, with access to the latest up-to-date statistics, and to allow journalists to support accurate reporting and well informed debate. Details will be published of the journalists who are to be given access to statistics ahead of release. The justification for pre-release access for each person receiving it should also be available on request. Once pre-release access to a statistic in final form has been granted, it will be under embargo, which means that its contents cannot be shared with others until the point of publication. Those granted pre-release access to statistical releases must, as now, not alter or attempt to alter the content or timing of these releases or the way in which they are presented, and the pre-release access period must not be used for personal gain or political advantage. Pre-release access may be removed from anyone knowingly breaching these rules. Only statistics deemed by the independent UK Statistics Authority to comply with the rules in the order will be eligible to be branded as national statistics. The Government will review the new pre-release arrangements after 12 months of operation, including assessing whether they remain consistent with the broader objective of building trust in the statistical system. These rules ensure that pre-release will take place in an open, clear and transparent manner, with clear accountability and always with a due regard to the public’s trust in official statistics. It represents a considerable tightening of current practice. I hope that noble Lords will support the rules and principles set out in the order, to help improve the credibility and trustworthiness of official statistics. I beg to move. Moved, That the Grand Committee do report to the House that it has considered the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order 2008. 27th report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.—(Lord Davies of Oldham.)