WIREDGOV

The FDA, the union for statisticians, economists and senior staff in the Office for National Statistics (ONS), welcomed the recommendation by the Treasury Select Committee that the Treasury “review the ONS relocation programme as a matter of urgency”. The recommendation is made in the report, The efficiency programme in the Chancellor’s departments, which is the outcome of an inquiry conducted over the last few months. The FDA wants the review to be conducted by an external body, carried out in a transparent way, and to produce a full public report.

Ro Marsh, FDA National Officer for members in ONS, said:

“The ONS must suspend the plans to relocate staff from London to Newport to allow for full and proper consultation with users and stakeholders, for consideration of the implications for the quality of statistics, and to regain confidence in the quality of those statistics. The FDA gave evidence to the Select Committee in May see https://www.fda.org.uk/Resource.phx/pubman/templates/18.htx?id=153  which was very critical of the proposals to cease the production of statistics in London and move all statistical output to Newport in South Wales. We are delighted that the Select Committee has listened.

“This report completely vindicates and supports our evidence, and we hope that we can work with the current Office for National Statistics, but also with the Chair of the new independent Statistics Board, who is about to be appointed, on ensuring the new body is able to continue to produce the world class standard of statistics for which ONS is renowned.”

FDA ONS branch convenor John Perry said: "The ONS decision to close its London office is too great a risk and should be reconsidered in the light of this report. The impact on ONS outputs through the loss of skilled staff in London is of extreme concern to our members."


Notes for Editors

1. The FDA is the trade union and professional body representing 17,000 of the UK’s senior civil and public servants. Our members include policy advisors, senior managers, tax inspectors, economists, statisticians, accountants, special advisers, government lawyers, diplomats, crown prosecutors and NHS managers.

2. The FDA (formerly First Division Association) should be referred to simply as "The FDA" and can be described as "the senior public servants’ union".

3. For further information contact:

• Jessica Stark, FDA head of communications, tel. 020 7401 5555 or 07967 484 441.