Sir Ian Diamond, head of the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), has resigned effective immediately due to health concerns. This resignation comes amidst a period of significant challenges for the ONS, marked by a decline in public confidence.
The ONS stated that Sir Ian’s health issues prevented him from dedicating the necessary attention to lead the organization forward.
The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) recently released a report expressing serious concerns about the quality of ONS data. These concerns particularly highlighted issues with the Labour Force Survey, a key indicator of UK unemployment.
Dr Sarah Cumbers, chief executive of the Royal Statistical Society, praised Sir Ian’s leadership during the pandemic, noting his role in establishing the UK as a leader in timely data delivery. However, she acknowledged the OSR’s findings and expressed anticipation for collaboration with the Cabinet Office and UK Statistics Authority to address the ongoing challenges.
The OSR report also cited concerns about business surveys, indicating a failure to adequately address problems raised by staff to senior management. This erosion of data quality hinders informed decision-making by both government and businesses.
Globally, statistical agencies have struggled to maintain sufficient response rates post-pandemic, impacting data quality. The OSR called for greater assurance that the ONS is effectively addressing sample design, bias, methodology, and imputation.
Appointed in October 2019, Sir Ian played a prominent role in SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, subsequent challenges, including declining data quality, significantly impacted the ONS’s reputation.
The ONS’s flagship jobs survey suffered from low response rates, compromising data reliability to the point that the UK statistics regulator withdrew its quality accreditation. The online survey replacement has faced repeated delays, with projected completion potentially extending to 2027.
Further compounding the difficulties, ONS statisticians staged a strike over changes to work-from-home policies. The OSR also criticized the ONS for its response to questions about a gender identity analysis, and repeated upward revisions to migration estimates undermined credibility.
A Cabinet Office review, led by Sir Robert Devereux, is underway, investigating the ONS’s data delivery, organizational culture, structure, leadership, and relationships with government bodies.