Policy statements

At the meeting of its Council on 30 January 2013, the Royal Statistical Society re-affirmed its concern (as set out in its statement of 25 January 2012) that delayed registration of deaths in England and Wales poses a risk to public health by potentially undermining the evidence-base for public health monitoring, record-linkage research and policy development.

The Royal Statistical Society calls for the registration of deaths in England and Wales to be uncoupled from the registration of cause of death.

Issued 10 January 2013

The Royal Statistical Society welcomes the decision of the National Statistician and the UK Statistics Authority to continue publication of the RPI unchanged while continuing the ONS research programme in consultation with users.
 
How inflation measures are calculated is not just a technical issue for professional users but one of widespread public importance affecting millions of UK citizens.

The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) has had concerns about the RPI and the CPI for some while and has raised these on more than one occasion. We do not consider either index to be ideal for the various purposes for which they are put. The different estimates the indices give of inflation have clearly undermined confidence, particularly in the CPI.

In England and Wales, deaths must normally be registered within five days. However, if the death is referred to a coroner and subject to an inquest no registration need be made until the coroner’s verdict is given. This may be months or even years later.

The next Chair of the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) need not be a professional statistician, but must have a profound grasp of the system of delivering accurate and reliable statistical information, courage, a willingness to put the needs of all users at the heart of the official statistics system, and imaginative understanding of how best to get numbers over to the public.

The Royal Statistical Society welcomes the initative taken by PSI in issuing a proposal 'best practice for statisticians in the reporting and publication of pharmaceutical industry-sponsored clinical trials,' and endorses the recommendations.

Reliable migration statistics, relating to both international migration and internal population movements within the UK, are an essential requirement for estimation of the national and local population and their characteristics.