Statistics Netherlands

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Statistics Netherlands modernization programme
the use of administrative data, lessons learned
and the way ahead.

• Geert Bruinooge
• Assistant Director General
• gbne_at_cbs.nl

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Contents

• Characteristics The Netherlands official
  statistics
• Driving forces for change
• The use of administrative data preconditions for
  efficient use.
• Two cases
• Lessons learned
• The way ahead

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Characteristics The Netherlands official
statistics

• Highly centralised Statistics Netherlands
  produces 95 of official statistics
• No regional offices
• Professional independence guaranteed by law and
  highly respected
• Strong tradition for statistical integration
  system of national accounts and modules

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Driving forces for change

• Ongoing budget cuts (- 30 since 1999)
• Need for new statistical information
• Programme renewal
• Faster and more flexible outputs
• Strong emphasis on European demands
• Quality improvement
• Cutting back the administrative burden
• Increased availability of external
  administrations and registers
• Competition from third parties (ICT developments,
  availability registerdata)

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The use of administrative data

• Preconditions for use
• Legal obligation (2004) first external available
  data must be used, and surveys on second place.
• Free access to administrations
• Legal possibilities matching data files
• Unique identification numbers both for businesses
  and persons

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The use of administrative data (2)

• External political support
• Imposed reduction of response burden by 25 for
  businesses
• At National and EU level
• Wider existance of administrations and
  registrations in the country
• Enabling provisions in national legislation

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Examples of administrative data sources

• Some examples
• The Dutch population register
• The social security administration
• Corporate tax administation
• Land ownership registration
• Comprehensive business register

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Two show cases

• I Social Statistical Data base
• II Dutch Taxonomy project (XBRL)

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Case IThe Social Statistical Database

• The SSD all relevant information on persons,
  families, households, jobs, benefits and living
  quarters
• Product consistent statistical output
• Advantages regional detail, more information on
  smaller groups, on demand outputs.

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Case I The Social Statistical Database

• Primary base register information
• Additionally survey data from business and
  households
• Backbone Dutch population register
• All other files linked demographic data, income
  tax, labour market participation, social security
  benefits, educational attainment, housing.

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Case I Social Statistical Database

• Methodology
• Micro-integration linking records from different
  sources (link identification number)
• Check for consistency and corrected
• Consistent and repeated weighting
• Started in 1997
• Sampling frame for special social surveys
• Basis for output in social area and input for
  Statline database
• Virtual census in 2001, to be repeated in 2011.

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Case II The Dutch Taxonomy project

• Objective standardisation of the reporting
  requirements for business to different parts of
  government (tax, annual reporting, statistics)
• How using single technical standard (XBRL) and
  common vocabulary of government administrations.
• Build in functionality in software programmes

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Case II the Dutch Taxonomy project

• So far no single report for business to all
  administrations, but a modular more tailor made
  report.
• For SN from 189 to 6 reports
• Still limited success in so far (contrary to
  Portugal)
• Reasons not build in business software
• Voluntary
• Lack of political support
• But a clear way forward in future.

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Lessons learned

• Legal basis is precondition (but not enough)
• Strong political support indispensable
• Innovation from the own organisation is
  prerequisite
• Contacts at all levels NSI administrations
• NSI involvement in setting up and changing
  administrations standards/concepts
• Variations in quality of administrative data
• NSIs not in control
• Risk of abolishment of basic administrations

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Our future environment

• Our environment the coming years
• Integrated Architecture Framework to be
  implemented in 2011
• Future budget reductions?
• Further reduction administrative burden high
  political issue
• Enrichment of outputs by more and higher quality

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The way ahead

• Future directions
• Stronger co-operation statistics/administrations
  (one counter)
• Joint research and programmes
• Stronger profile for NSI as bureau of standard
• Create value added for statistics
• More service oriented attitude NSIs
• Political support

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Thank you for your attention

• www.cbs.nl