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UNTIED NATIONS STATISTICAL INSTITUTE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

Third Regional Course/Workshop on Statistical Quality Management and

Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics 15 – 19 October 2007, Beijing, China

Session 2 Overview of the Fundamental Principles of Official statistics

Frederick W H HO Honorary professor, The University of Hong Kong

Adjunct Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Former Commissioner for Census and Statistics (Hong Kong : 1992-2005)

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Major considerations underpinning the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics (FPOS)

• Basis for development of statistics in the economic, demographic, social and environmental fields

• Trust of the public in official statistical information • The quality of official statistics depends much on the

cooperation of raw data suppliers • Common standards and concepts allow comparisons

among official statistics of different countries • Declarations of Professional Ethics by professional

bodies in statistics

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Perspectives:

• Ideological Issues • Practical Issues – the feasibility of programmes,

cost, efficiency • Quality Management • Individual Principles having multi-facet

implications • The Principles as a set, with interactions among

the individual Principles

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Principle 1. Official statistics provide an indispensable

element in the information system of a democratic society, serving the Government, the economy and the public with data about the economic, demographic, social and environmental situation. To this end, official statistics that meet the test of practical utility are to be compiled and made available on an impartial basis by official statistical agencies to honor citizens' entitlement to public information.

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Principle 1. • Political manifestation • Practical utility of Statistics • Responsibilities of official statistical agencies • Rights of citizens for access to information • Consultation mechanisms to tap stakeholders’

views • Relevance of official statistical data • Impartiality of official statistical agencies • Equal Access of statistics to all

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Principle 2.

To retain trust in official statistics, the statistical agencies need to decide according to strictly professional considerations, including scientific principles and professional ethics, on the methods and procedures for the collection, processing, storage and presentation of statistical data.

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Principle 2.

• Scientific principles • Professional ethics • Trust of users in official statistics • Trust of suppliers of raw data in the official

statistical agencies

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Principle 3.

To facilitate a correct interpretation of the data, the statistical agencies are to present information according to scientific standards on the sources, methods and procedures of the statistics.

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Principle 3.

• Transparency of operation of official statistical agencies

• Accountability of official statistical agencies

• Facilitating users of statistical data • Facilitating the proper interpretation and

the use of statistical data

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Principle 4.

The statistical agencies are entitled to comment on erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics.

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Principle 4.

• Reducing the misuse and abuse of statistical data

• Avoiding the misuse and abuse of statistical data • Stopping the misuse and abuse of statistical

data • Statistical literacy • Knowledge level of statistics • How common are statistics used? • Mass media

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Principle 5.

Data for statistical purposes may be drawn from all types of sources, be they statistical surveys or administrative records. Statistical agencies are to choose the source with regard to quality, timeliness, costs and the burden on respondents

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Principle 5. • Cost effectiveness of the compilation of statistics • Raw data • Information pertaining to individual persons, individual

households and individual establishments • Administrative Records • Special returns for statistical purposes • Censuses and sample surveys • Quality of raw data • Burden on suppliers of raw data • Timeliness of Statistical data

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Principle 6.

Individual data collected by statistical agencies for statistical compilation, whether they refer to natural or legal persons, are to be strictly confidential and used exclusively for statistical purposes.

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Principle 6.

• Safeguarding the confidentiality of individual data

• Compilation of statistics based on administrative records

• Data collection dedicated to the compilation of statistics

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Principle 7.

The laws, regulations and measures under which the statistical systems operate are to be made public.

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Principle 7.

• Statistical legislations: authority, responsibility, obligations, confidentiality protection

• General Statistical Act • Legislating in respect of individual surveys

or individual groups of surveys • Knowledge about statistical legislation;

observing the laws; execution of the laws • Legality and Legitimacy

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Principle 8.

Coordination among statistical agencies within countries is essential to achieve consistency and efficiency in the statistical system.

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Principle 8. • Consistency and uniformity within the National Statistical

System (NSS) • Division of labour within the NSS – efficiency • Difference in the needs and aspirations of different

ministries/agencies within the country • Statistical needs of Central Government vs statistical

needs of local governments • Mechanisms for co-ordination : authority and ability of

co-ordinating agency to know what is happening elsewhere in the NSS accurately and in a timely manner; co-ordinating agency to appreciate and consider the needs of other parties

• Non-official statistics with public implications

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Principle 9.

• The use by statistical agencies in each country of international concepts, classifications and methods promotes the consistency and efficiency of statistical systems at all official levels.

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Principle 9. • International concepts • International classifications • International practices • Adoption of international concepts, classifications and

methods at the national level of statistical undertakings • Adoption of international concepts, classifications and

methods at sub-national levels of statistical undertakings • The formulation and setting of international standards • The establishment of common international practices • The need for active participation by countries in the

setting of international standards

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Principle 10.

Bilateral and multilateral cooperation in statistics contributes to the improvement of systems of official statistics in all countries.

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Principle 10.

• Bi-lateral cooperation • Multi-lateral cooperation

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The Principles and Quality management ....(1)

• P.1: Relevance of data – a quality aspect in its own right and promotes cooperation and support of the community ; impartial access – promotes truthfulness

• P.2 : Professional standards and ethics • P.3 : Transparency of sources, methods and

procedures – facilitates quality control • P.4 : Inadequate quality of statistics would

provide greater chance for misuse and abuse

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The Principles and Quality management ….(2)

• P.5 : Quality – timeliness – costs – burden on raw data suppliers

• P.6 - Confidentiality of individual data : greater trust of raw data suppliers result in better quality of data supplied

• P.7 – Legislation: authority to collect data-contributing to completeness; trust of raw data suppliers - better quality of raw data

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The Principles and Quality management ….(3)

• P.8 : National co-ordination: coherence and consistency; effective use of scarce resources

• P.9 : Use of international concepts and methods : comparability of data; good/best practices for reference

• P.10 : International co-operation : improvement/upgrading of statistical capability and capacity