Research and analysis

DCMS Official Statistics Workplan 2022/23

Updated 21 March 2024

1. Introduction

This page outlines the high level priorities and plans for DCMS official statistics in 2022/23. These are based on our current understanding of existing and rapidly emerging user needs. We always value feedback from users. You can contact the DCMS statistics team on evidence@dcms.gov.uk.

We started a piece of formal user research in February, as part of our commitment to providing statistics that best meet user needs. The project is due to conclude shortly. We expect this will give us new insights into the way our statistics are being used and will help shape the portfolio going forwards. Wherever possible, will seek views before making any substantial changes. The user research survey closed on 8th April 2022.

A number of DCMS’s Public Bodies also produce Official Statistics. This includes Arts Council England, British Film Institute, Gambling Commission, Historic England, Ofcom, Sport England and VisitEngland. You can find a calendar of all official statistics planned by DCMS and our Public Bodies at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics

2. Our Statistics

We are committed to continue to provide robust, high quality and relevant official statistics during a time of new and fast-emerging analytical demands, guided by the principles in the Code of Practice for Statistics. The rest of the work plan sets out more detail about our planned portfolio of DCMS statistics for 2022/23.

2.1 Economic Estimates

Our Economic Estimates provide statistics on the contribution of DCMS sectors to the economy. These help us understand the number and size of businesses in the DCMS sectors, who is employed in relevant jobs and how much they earn, how DCMS sectors contribute to UK trade, and the Gross Value Added to the UK economy.

Over the last year, in addition to our traditional publications, we have re-released an improved employment back series, collated a number of measures in a compendium style release and developed a new measure of productivity.

In the coming year, we plan to publish the following Economic Estimates for DCMS sectors:

Gross Value Added (GVA)

• Annual GVA - our most robust estimate
• Monthly GVA - a faster, though less accurate, estimate which we plan to continue to publish quarterly
• Regional GVA

Trade

• Annual Trade in Goods
• Annual Trade in Services
• Annual Trade in Tourism

Employment and earnings

• Annual employment - an expanded earnings and employment publication based on annual population survey data
• Quarterly employment statistics - a faster ‘tables only’ release based on the same data source as the annual publication
• Annual ‘snapshot’ earnings release based on the annual survey of hours and earnings

Business demography

• Annual business demographics

Satellite Accounts

• Tourism Satellite Account - we will continue to work with the Office for National Statistics to ensure publication of estimates of employment and gross value added by the tourism sector
• Sport Satellite Account - we will explore options for robust measurement of the broader economic contribution of the Sport sector

Productivity

We will continue to develop our measure of productivity with the aim of producing estimates as a regular release if there is sufficient user need.

2.2 Participation Surveys

The Participation Survey is a new continuous push to web survey of adults aged 16 and over in England. It has been running since October 2021, replacing the Taking Part Survey, and will be a main evidence source for DCMS and its sectors by providing statistically representative national, regional and local estimates of adult engagement with the DCMS sectors. The survey’s main objectives are to:

• Provide a central, reliable evidence source that can be used to analyse cultural, digital, and live sporting engagement, providing a clear picture of why people do or do not engage
• Provide data at a county level to meet user needs, including providing evidence for the levelling up agenda
• Underpin further research on driving engagement and the value and benefits of engagement

The first quarter of data from the Participation Survey (Oct-Dec 2021) is due to be published mid April 2022. The Participation Survey data from subsequent quarters is planned to be published as following during 2022/23:

Survey in the field	Data published
January - March (quarterly data, including annual summary)	July
April - June (quarterly data)	September
July - September (quarterly data)	December
October - December (quarterly data)	March

We will also explore and consider other development opportunities, including dissemination tools, options for producing estimates for smaller geographies and ways to collect participation data for youth.

2.3 DCMS-funded cultural institutions

We publish statistics about DCMS-funded cultural institutions. These help us understand how DCMS-funded cultural institutions generate their income, how sponsored museums and galleries are performing against their annual performance indicators and how many visits there are to sponsored museums and galleries.

In the year ahead, we expect to publish:

• Monthly visitor figures for sponsored museums and galleries (published quarterly). If necessary, we may issue additional publications covering visitor figure numbers at different timescales
• Annual performance indicators for sponsored museums and galleries
• Total income of DCMS-funded cultural institutions (including, but not limited to, sponsored museums and galleries)

2.4 Community Life Survey

The Community Life Survey is a key evidence source for understanding more about community engagement, volunteering, social cohesion, wellbeing and loneliness amongst adults (aged 16+) throughout England.

In 2021/22, we re-tendered the contract and published an annual Community Life Survey report, reporting on the period April 2020 to March 2021.

We expect to publish the annual Community Life Survey report for October 2021 - September 2022 survey year in early 2023. In the coming year we also plan to publish the findings of an experiment looking at different approaches to producing small area estimates with Community Life Survey data.

2.5 Cyber Security Breaches Survey

The Cyber Security Breaches Survey is an influential research study for UK cyber resilience, aligning with the National Cyber Strategy. It is primarily used to inform Government policy on cyber security, making the UK cyberspace a secure place to do business.

The study explores the policies, processes, and approach to cyber security for businesses, charities, and education institutes. It also considers the different cyber attacks these organisations face, as well as how these organisations are impacted and respond.

Interviews for the 2022 survey have been completed, with the publication scheduled for a end of March release. We are engaging with government stakeholders to refine the questionnaire and increase its impact, ahead of re-tendering the survey for 2023 delivery.

2.6 UK Business Data Survey

The UK Business Data Survey helps us to understand more about how businesses collect and use data, views on data protection regulation, awareness and understanding of the role of the ICO, international data transfers and tools used to facilitate this. The collection, use and transfer of data has become increasingly important during the 21st Century, both to people and to industry. There is continued scope to improve our basic understanding of what data is used for, its value and the importance of being able to move data around, both domestically and internationally, and this survey helps the Government develop its evidence base in this regard.

In 2021, we published results from the first round of the survey. We intend to publish results from the second iteration of the survey later this year.

2.7 Reported Treasure Finds

Statistics on Reported Treasure Finds present the number of finds of treasure and portable antiquities reported and recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme. We release an account because of the importance of treasure finds in understanding and interpreting history on a national and local level. The scheme is an intrinsic part of cultural protection, preserving important and significant finds for public access.

We published our annual report in November 2021, and plan to publish next year’s statistics in the Autumn.

2.8 Employer Skills Survey

In January 2022, we published experimental statistics on skills shortages (%) and skills gaps (%) in the DCMS sectors and sub-sectors for the year 2019. This relates to one of the metrics that DCMS committed to developing as part of its Outcome Delivery Plan helping us measure Priority Outcome 2: Grow and evolve our sectors domestically and globally, in particular those sectors most affected by COVID-19, including culture, sport, civil society, and the creative industries.

The Department for Education runs this survey once every two years. We expect 2021 data to be available in early 2023, and we plan to publish an update in Spring 2023.

2.9 Supplementary tables

Over the last year, we have published a wide range of supplementary tables. We will continue to do this for transparency as users request particular cuts of data. If you require a breakdown of our statistics that we have not already published, please contact us on evidence@dcms.gov.uk.

In addition to feedback on our planned portfolio, we welcome views on this workplan page itself. We are considering options for producing these in future (including frequency and content), and value user feedback to inform these decisions. Please contact us on evidence@dcms.gov.uk.