Guidance

Statistical public engagement and data standards

Updated 2 October 2024

1. Introduction

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) provides National Statistics and official statistics in line with practices recommended in the Code of Practice for Statistics. This statement sets out the department’s commitments on public engagement (T4.1) and data standards (T6.1 and T6.4) as outlined by the code.

2. Public engagement

DBT’s approach to public engagement can be divided into the following sections:

2.1 Access to statistics

Routinely produced statistics are available free of charge from the Research and Statistics page on the GOV.UK website. DBT will generally announce the month of release of these statistics 12 months in advance and the exact date 4 weeks in advance. All published statistics are published at 9:30am on the scheduled day unless otherwise announced.

DBT is committed to making its statistical outputs accessible to all users and further details are available with the accessibility statement for DBT statistics.

In line with legislation, DBT will provide a specific statistical publication in a different format if requested. If you require a document in an alternative format such as audio, braille or large print, contact the responsible statistician using the contact email addresses and telephone numbers included within the statistical release or provided on the accompanying statistical press release. Other enquiries regarding the contents of a specific release should be addressed to the responsible statistician for that release.

Media enquiries regarding the contents of a specific release should be directed to the DBT press office.

Enquiries made under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act should be addressed to the department’s FOI team:

Information Rights Unit
Department for Business and Trade
Old Admiralty Building
Admiralty Place
London
SW1A 2DY
United Kingdom

Email: foi@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Further details on how to make an FOI request can be found on the DBT homepage on GOV.UK.

2.2 Consultations

DBT ensures that on key developments to our statistics, there are transparent and clear processes allowing for views from both internal and external customers.

The decision to consult with users is solely on the authority of DBT’s Chief Statistician and Head of Profession for Statistics.

DBT will undertake consultations when the department wishes to make:

• significant changes to the content of publications
• significant changes to the method of publication
• major methodological changes to the production of statistics
• significant changes to how the department publishes its statistics (for example, the merging of several related publications into a single publication)

DBT will provide a summary of all user responses to each consultation and the rationale for these decisions.

The primary vehicles for consultations on DBT statistics will be the statistical pages and the consultations section of GOV.UK. Information on consultations, updates to the publication schedule, and changes to departmental policies and procedures will be publicised here.

In addition to formal consultations, DBT will seek views through the statistical pages of GOV.UK or in its regular publications with regards to more modest or technical changes.

2.3 Understanding customer needs

The content of the department’s statistics and the supporting information provided will be informed by an understanding of customers’ needs.

DBT will help customers and users to understand its products by publishing or referring to supporting, background or educational information and material, and by marking statistical products with any appropriate statistical logos.

DBT also recognises that customers will have different needs and seeks to establish ways of engaging with all user personas:

• expert analysts
• information foragers
• inquiring citizens

2.4 Service standards

DBT staff will be polite, helpful and readily identify themselves. The department will make every reasonable effort to ensure that customers are provided with information that is timely, relevant and accurate. DBT aims to respond to written external correspondence within 20 working days of receipt, although it will usually be less.

The response will either be an answer to the issue raised, or a notification that the correspondence is being dealt with. The holding reply will either contain a date by which the department intends to provide a full response or a date by when the department will contact you with a progress update.

If you have a concern about the quality of the department’s service and you cannot resolve the problem with the person you have been dealing with, you can make a formal complaint.

2.5 Complaints procedure

If for any reason you feel that the service you receive from DBT has fallen below the standards you expect or has not lived up to the statements made in the departmental policies and procedures, then please let the department know.

On receipt of a complaint, DBT will:

• regard it seriously
• treat it in confidence
• deal with it independently and without favour
• resolve it promptly, and informally whenever possible
• find a remedy wherever possible
• learn from it to improve departmental services

Your complaint should initially be addressed to the person you have been dealing with.

To escalate your complaint, please address it to the Chief Statistician at the Department for Business and Trade. You can make your complaint in writing, by phone, or email. Please provide as much relevant information as possible so that the department can deal with your case promptly.

Chief Statistician

Jane Naylor
Department for Business and Trade
Old Admiralty Building
London
SW1A 2DY

Email: jane.naylor@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Telephone: 0792 028 8516

If you are still not satisfied, and the issue relates to the Code of Practice for Statistics, then you can refer your complaint to the UK Statistics Authority:

UK Statistics Authority
Fry Building
1st Floor, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Email authority.enquiries@statistics.gov.uk

3. Data standards

Each statistical dataset maintained by DBT from which National Statistics outputs are produced will have a specified data manager. Their role is to ensure that the department manages its data resources in accordance with the best practice principles and standards set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics and its supporting Protocols; with the department’s other corporate standards and procedures; and in accordance with the department’s statutory obligations.

DBT adheres to the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the processing of personal data. All data sharing agreements, service level agreements, and procurements follow standard departmental procedures to ensure compliance with GDPR. Personal data is retained for the minimum period required and disposed of in a secure and responsible manner.

All staff working in DBT and all visitors to its sites require a pass to access the premises. This pass must be worn at all times. There is no public access to any part of the organisation where confidential statistical data may be held. Information is classified according to standard government security classifications and managed according to its sensitivity, value, and criticality. Staff regularly monitor and review information security arrangements to ensure that policy, standards and procedures remain relevant and effective.

Mechanisms used to transmit micro-data will be appropriate to the sensitivity of the data and its classifications and will be encrypted as necessary. Where micro-data is owned by a department or organisation other than DBT, arrangements for access are in accordance with the service level agreements, contracts or other confidentiality agreements between DBT and the data owners. Access to micro-data collected and owned by DBT is determined by the guarantees given to the data suppliers or contributors and is in accordance with statistical legislation covering the collection of these data or with the appropriate principles for the collection and use of administrative data.

DBT will place the minimum load necessary on data providers.