Code of Practice for Official Statistics: Report on the consultation and ...

Pre-release access
21. Pre-release access is defined in the Act as ‘access to the statistics in their
final <strong>for</strong>m prior to publication’. Section 11 <strong>of</strong> the Act specifically prevents the
<strong>Code</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Practice</strong> from dealing with ‘any matter relating to the granting <strong>of</strong> prerelease
access to <strong>of</strong>ficial statistics’, which will instead be determined by Orders
(secondary legislation) made under the Act. With this exception, there are no
specific constraints on the content <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Code</strong>.
22. The Act states that ‘the <strong>Code</strong> shall apply in relation to any <strong>of</strong>ficial statistic
as if it included any rules and principles provided <strong>for</strong> in relation to those
statistics’. This means that the <strong>Code</strong> has to be read as if the rules and principles
relating to pre-release access were part <strong>of</strong> it – and thus the assessment process
will take account <strong>of</strong> compliance with those rules, regardless <strong>of</strong> the fact that
they are not set out in the <strong>Code</strong>.
23. Because pre-release access is defined in the Act to refer only to statistics in
their final <strong>for</strong>m prior to publication, the question <strong>of</strong> the treatment <strong>of</strong> statistics
be<strong>for</strong>e they reach that final <strong>for</strong>m remains a matter <strong>for</strong> the <strong>Code</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Practice</strong>.
Thus there are references in Protocol 2 <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Code</strong> to principles governing
access to statistics be<strong>for</strong>e publication. These references do not apply to statistics
in their final <strong>for</strong>m.
Administrative sources
24. A large and growing proportion <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficial statistics are produced from
data originally collected <strong>for</strong> administrative purposes, such as school records,
hospital records and payment <strong>of</strong> benefits. The <strong>Code</strong> includes requirements
(Protocol 3) on all public bodies that produce <strong>of</strong>ficial statistics from
administrative sources to observe certain practices and to prepare a Statement
<strong>of</strong> Administrative Sources that should be subject to consultation with the
National Statistician be<strong>for</strong>e finalisation. These statements will set out how a
range <strong>of</strong> practical matters are to be handled. Further advice on the <strong>for</strong>m <strong>of</strong> the
statements will be issued by the Authority.
Consultation Document | <strong>Code</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Practice</strong> | Part 1 13