Frameworks for the Access and Use of Administrative Data, With the Example of Current Practice in the UK

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Frameworks for the Access and Use of
Administrative Data, With the Example of Current
Practice in the UK
Steven Vale Office for National Statistics UK
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Contents

• Types of Framework
• Legal
• Policy
• Organisational
• Technical
• Current Practice in the UK

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Legal Framework

• Legal frameworks are mainly at the national level
• Most national statistical institutes have
  legislation defining roles and responsibilities,
  e.g. Statistics Act
• International legal frameworks, e.g. for the
  European Union

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Statistical Laws

• Existing statistical laws been revised to include
  use of administrative data
• Many new statistical laws introduced in the last
  10 - 15 years
• Some national legal frameworks give more powers
  than others for access to administrative data

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National Frameworks

• Historical, political and cultural factors will
  have an impact on national frameworks, therefore
  these are not harmonised between countries
• International legal frameworks are important for
  statistical harmonisation

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Legal Acts on the Web

• Ireland - www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA21Y1993.html
• See sections 30 and 31
• Norway - www.ssb.no/english/about_ssb/statlaw/stat
  lov_en.html
• See chapter 3-2
• Germany - www.destatis.de/download/ueber/bstag03_e
  .pdf
• See article 8

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UK Legal Framework

• No specific Statistics Act
• Access to administrative data controlled by
  source-specific acts
• Subject to European Union legislation
• Independence legislation may increase access

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Policy Framework

• Government policy on data sharing
• How can the national statistical institute
  influence this?
• Codes of practice
• International
• National

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International Codes of Practice

• United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official
  Statistics
• Principle 5 Data for statistical purposes may be
  drawn from all types of sources, be they
  statistical surveys or administrative records.
  Statistical agencies are to choose the source
  with regard to quality, timeliness, costs and the
  burden on respondents

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International Codes of Practice

• European Statistical System Code of Practice
• Principle 2 Statistical authorities must have a
  clear legal mandate to collect information for
  European statistical purposes. Administrations,
  enterprises and households, and the public at
  large may be compelled by law to allow access to
  or deliver data for European statistical purposes
  at the request of statistical authorities

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National Codes of Practice

• Can reassure the public that data will only be
  used for specific and reasonable purposes
• Should be made available to the public, e.g. via
  the internet site of the national statistical
  institute.

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UK Policy Framework

• Government policy favours more data sharing
• Cross-government projects
• Single business identifier
• Business Index
• Requirement to cut costs and the burden on
  businesses

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UK Policy Framework

• Codes of Practice
• UK supports international standards
• National Code of Practice
• Supported by protocols, e.g. Protocol on Managing
  Respondent Load
• Statistical business register is the gateway for
  all administrative micro-data on businesses

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Organisational Framework

• Agreement between supplier and user of
  administrative data
• Contract
• Service Level Agreement
• Protocol
• Concordat

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Agreement Contents

• Legal basis
• Names of persons transferring and receiving data
• Detailed description of data covered
• Frequency of data supply
• Quality standards
• Confidentiality rules

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Agreement Contents

• Technical standards
• Provision of metadata
• Provisions for payment for supply data
• Period of agreement
• Contingencies for changes in circumstances
• Procedure for resolving disputes

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UK Organisational Framework

• Service Level Agreements with other government
  departments
• Statistical analyses / tools provided in return
• Suppliers represented on business register
  management committee
• Contracts with commercial data suppliers

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Technical Framework

• Mechanisms for data transfer
• Paper
• Magnetic media
• Secure connection
• Data / metadata standards
• XML
• SDMX
• GESMES

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UK Technical Framework

• Mostly quarterly copies of administrative
  registers on CD-ROM
• Government Secure Intranet link for daily updates
  from Value Added Tax
• Flat text files
• Metadata as separate tables

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• Thank-you for listening.
• Any Questions?
• steve.vale_at_ons.gov.uk