Clampdown on official data

Whitehall is to be barred from accessing pre-released data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) amid concerns that privileged information could be used for political or financial gain.

The UK’S National Statistician John Pullinger said he made the decision after “noting a trend for increasing instances of access and the damage to trust in official statistics” that followed.

It comes after failed attempts to strengthen control around pre-released access, which saw a smaller number of government ministers and officials receive early data over a shorter period of time, he said.

Government departments currently have access to sensitive ONS data - which includes statistics like Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation, retail sales and economic growth - 21 hours before it is made public.

Pullinger said that it was clear that “the changes are not successfully dealing with the risks the review sought to mitigate”.

Those privileges will be revoked effective 1 July.

Pressure came from the Royal Statistical Society, which submitted a letter from 114 experts to The Times newspaper last month urging the Government to increase confidence in official statistics “and prevent any potential abuse of privileged information for political or financial gain”.

The Society called on the next government “whatever its political complexion, to end the situation in which dozens of ministers, advisers and others enjoy pre-lease access to a wide range of official statistics”.

An analysis by West Virginia University for the Wall Street Journal in March showed that UK government bond futures were moving suspiciously before the release of official data.