Guidance

Export licensing statistics revisions policy

Updated 16 January 2024

This guidance sets out Export Control Joint Unit’s (ECJU) statistics revision policy.

It covers revisions or corrections to the strategic export controls licensing official statistics. These statistics cover export licensing decisions made by His Majesty’s Government (HMG).

This policy follows the UK Statistics Authority’s Code of Practice for Statistics.

Why do we revise data?

We have identified 3 possible causes of revisions to published data.

These are:

• corrections due to publishing or data processing errors

• receipt of more data or data changes due to amendments

• changes to data due to methodological changes

Corrections due to publishing or data processing errors

Errors may occasionally occur. We have robust procedures in place to minimise errors in the statistical systems and processes.

Following identification of errors in the published statistics we:

• correct the error

• provide footnotes explaining the error and resulting changes

• issue a correction notice to alert users

Receipt of more data or data changes due to amendments

Amendments to existing licences are the main reason for receipt of more data.

There are several reasons to amend a licence, including:

• a licence issued during the period may have been revoked, for example because of the imposition of trade sanctions or an arms embargo

• a decision during the period to refuse a licence might be overturned because the applicant later appealed successfully

• a licence conversion whereby licences are converted resulting in a change to the licence, such as conversion of a temporary licences to a permanent licence

• a change to the description of goods on the licence

• a change to the value of goods on the licence

• a change to the quantity of goods on the licence

How we show amendments

For each quarterly strategic export controls statistics we will:

• revise the data tables back to 2008

• show revisions differently in the PDF country pivot reports (or ODS format, where the PDF has been replaced)

• use the ‘r’ flag where figures change between the quarterly report (so revisions are relative to the previously published data)

• place the ‘Rv’ flag against case summaries that were issued and then revoked in the same reporting period

• place the ‘A’ flag against case summaries that (some or all of which) were issued on appeal following an initial refusal

We update historical licensing data where changes to licences have been made. For example, due to amendments, but these are not explicitly flagged.

Changes to data due to methodological changes

ECJU is in the process of introducing a new digital system for export licensing, known as LITE, which will replace its legacy system, SPIRE. Therefore, at present, 2 administrative sources, SPIRE and LITE, are used to produce the strategic export controls statistics.

Changes to underlying data collection methodology can cause revisions.

These can include changes in:

• statistical methods

• definitions

• classification

• geographic coverage

We will consult with users when planning major methodology changes. Options will take into account maintenance of consistent time-series. This includes any revisions to previously published time-series.

With the introduction of LITE in 2021, this release has included data from both SPIRE and LITE from the 2021 Q3 publication onwards. Prior to the 2021 Q3 publication, this release provided data solely from SPIRE. To date, this has not led to any methodological changes within the strategic export controls licensing official statistics. However, there are some limitations in how we have published the LITE data from the 2023 Q1 publication onwards. For further details, please see the statement of administrative sources guidance and the quality and methodology guidance.

How we show amendments

Revised data has:

• an ‘r’ label

• footnotes explaining the methodology changes causing the revision

Contact DBT export licensing statistics

Contact ecju.statistics@trade.gov.uk if you have any queries about our revisions policy.