Priority setting and improving quality in official statistics

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Priority setting and improving quality in
official statistics

• Matthew Powell
• Oxford Policy Management

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Overview

• What is an official statistic?
• Why set priorities?
• My priorities for new statistics
• Where does quality need improving?
• My quality strategies

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What is an Official Statistic?

• Produced or commissioned by a public body
• Use beyond the producing department
• Must be freely available to everybody
• Sustainable, can replicate over time
• Meets quality standards for official statistics

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Survey of priorities for new statistics

• Disability/vulnerable groups data
• LSMS type survey Woreda level data
• Data on Agricultural transformation
• Livestock non-sedentary populations
• Environment
• Lots of price indices
• Trade statistics
• Construction
• Small scale industries

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Why set priority ranks?

• Many gaps, limited resources
• Resist outside pressure
• Allows you to respond to changing circumstances
• Indicates degree of commitment to stakeholders
  avoiding disappointment
• NOT to determine the work programme on its own

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MTNSP Outturn (03/04-07/08)
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My Priorities for new statistics

• 1. Import export price indices

2. Actual revenue and expenditure of Regional
State Bureau
3. A Woreda level development index based on
community level variables
What? Thats not what I think
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Quality Assessment
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My quality strategies

• Improving ways the NSS works together
• Well known central publications hub
• Annual report on NSS
• Strategy to clarify who should do what
• Law/directive/MOU saying who can/will do what
• Increasing trust in official statistics
• National quality assurance
• Accessible metadata, more analysis
• Getting/Keeping the people needed
• Common statistical cadre
• Developing the right statistical methodologies
• A unified Business Register
• New survey technology

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Thank You
Questions?
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How to set priorities?

• A ranking not a grouping
• Dont cheat (no joint priorities)
• National not personal
• Involve stakeholders to obtain buy in
• Why do you need it?
• Could you do without it?

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Priority setting

• For whole NSS
• New statistics only
• Statistics not surveys
• Only three
• Ranking not grouping
• What would you do with it ? Who would use it and
  for what?
• Could you do without it ? i.e. what do you do now

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Quality Strategies

• NSS not CSA
• What are real quality issues that need attention?
• What would you do to make them better?
• How would you do it ?
• New laws/regulations?
• New units?
• New training/instructions ?
• New supplies or other inputs?
• New techniques/methodologies
• Only three, Ranking not grouping