ERP Reporting Dashboard - Statement of voluntary application of Code of Practice for Statistics
Published 20 August 2021
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/events-research-programme-phases-i-ii-and-iii-data-release/erp-reporting-dashboard-statement-of-voluntary-application-of-code-of-practice-for-statistics
Introduction
The Events Research Programme (ERP) is building evidence on the risks associated with COVID-19 transmission from attending events and mitigation measures that could potentially address these risks. The release includes the key management information from the events in the ERP, compiling information from various different sources to provide public access to comprehensive information about the events.
The release does not represent official statistics as the information is in a wide variety of formats not normally associated with statistics. This statement outlines the steps we have taken towards voluntary compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. This code is built around 3 main pillars:
- Trustworthiness – having confidence in the people and organisations that produce statistics and data
- Quality – data and methods that produce assured statistics
- Value – publishing statistics that support society’s needs for information
The information shown is from 4 main sources:
- Arrangements in place at each event as agreed between the programme and the event or event venue
- Management information from the ticketing systems of individual events or event venues
- Management information from the NHS Test and Trace Service in England
- Official statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Coronavirus Infection Survey.
The following describes how the Code has been applied in a proportionate way:
Trustworthiness
DCMS is working closely with the independent ERP Science Board, which provides challenge and scrutiny to the robustness of the data and clarity of the supporting commentary. The Board was required to sign off the dashboard as trustworthy as part of the clearance process. We have also worked with the Office for Statistics Regulation, ONS and the DCMS Head of Statistics on how we apply the code of practice.
Management information is seen in advance by Ministers and officials to support the government’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic, but the production of this release has been done independently of that process and overseen by DCMS analysts and the Chief Scientific Advisor to ensure the information remains impartial. This is a one-off data release published as soon as possible after the data was complete.
Quality
The information collected about events is reviewed and quality assured by analysts in DCMS and the science research partners involved in the ERP. Where data is sourced from events and/or event venues ticketing systems, there may be inconsistencies in how that data is collected and collated. Known issues are noted in the release.
The figures provided from the Test and Trace system are compiled by professional analysts using the latest available data and applying methods using their professional judgement. They have been quality assured by analysts within the NHS Test and Trace programme. Tracing data cannot be compared against other sources as part of the quality assurance process.
Community prevalence data is from the ONS Coronavirus Infection Survey and publicly available official statistics. Further information is available from COVID-19 Infection Survey: methods and further information.
Case numbers reported from Test and Trace data in this dashboard are limited to those reporting activity, work or education events and do not represent overall case counts in England. In general, direct comparisons between the Test and Trace data and the ONS Coronavirus Infection Survey cannot be made as explained by the ONS.
Value
In publishing this data, we aim to provide evidence for Ministers, policy makers and external stakeholders on the cases associated with events alongside arrangements in place for each of the events in the ERP and the context in which they were held. For more information about how to interpret the data please see the ERP Reporting Dashboard explainer.
This information contributes to the government’s ongoing response to the Coronavirus pandemic, and is part of the wider evidence base being generated by the ERP.
In making this information available we are responding to user needs, answering questions frequently put to the programme in Parliamentary Questions, Freedom of Information requests and other queries. By publishing this information we are reducing the administrative burden on all sides of accessing information in the public interest.