(2) on how many occasions in the last five years the publication date of statistics produced by her Department has been changed; what the (a) subject of the statistics, (b) (i) original and (ii) final date of publication and (c) reason for the delay was in each case; and who took the decision to delay the publication in each case.
In accordance with the National Statistics Code of Practice (2002), the Head of Profession for Statistics in the Department for Constitutional Affairs has sole responsibility for determining, pre-announcing and, if necessary, altering the dates of publication of ‘National Statistics’ and other relevant statistics produced by the Department.
Any decision to change a pre-announced publication date will be based on a range of professional considerations such as the completeness of the underlying data, their fitness for purpose, the need for consistency and coherence, the need to promote widespread access and informed debate, or any earlier accidental or wrongful release. In reaching their decision, the Head of Profession will also take into consideration the detailed procedural guidance given in the ‘National Statistics Protocol on Release Practices’. The Code and its 12 supporting Protocols are available in the Library of the House.
There have been only two occasions in the last five years when the Head of Profession has changed a pre-announced publication date. In both cases, the affected release was the monthly National Statistics bulletin “Average time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders”. The details are as follows:
October 2002: release postponed by one week from 4 October to 11 October, as a result of downtime to allow for the installation of new IT equipment by a key data supplier.
July 2006: release postponed by one working day from 7 July to 10 July, to avoid coinciding with the first anniversary of the bombings on the London underground. This decision was made by the then Head of Profession in consultation with communications colleagues and the National Statistician, who fully supported the approach taken.