UK Statistics Authority ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2016/17 HC 29 UK Statistics Authority ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2016/17 Accounts presented to the House of Commons pursuant to section 6(4) of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 Accounts presented to the House of Lords by Command of Her Majesty Annual Report presented to Parliament pursuant to section 27(2) of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 Annual Report presented to the Scottish Parliament pursuant to section 27(2) of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 Annual Report presented to the National Assembly for Wales pursuant to section 27(2) of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 Annual Report presented to the Northern Ireland Assembly pursuant to section 27(2) of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 13 July 2017 HC 29 UKSA/2017/01 Note: UK Statistics Authority is referred to as ‘the Statistics Board’ in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 This is part of a series of departmental publications which, along with the Main Estimates 2016/17 and the document Public Expenditure: Statistical Analyses 2013, present the Government’s outturn for 2016/17 and planned expenditure for 2016/17. © Crown copyright 2017 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected]. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at: UK Statistics Authority Statistics House Tredegar Park Newport South Wales NP10 8XG Tel: 0845 604 1857 International: +44 (0)845 604 1857 Minicom: 01633 815044 Email: [email protected] Fax: 01633 456179 Print ISBN 9781474143073 Web ISBN 9781474143080 ID 07041702 06/17 Printed on paper containing 75% recycled fibre content minimum. Printed in the UK by the Williams Lea Group on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. UK Statistics Authority Chapter 1: Chair’s Foreword and Chief Executive’s Report OUTGOING CHAIR’S FOREWORD......................................................................................... 1 INCOMING CHAIR’S FOREWORD.......................................................................................... 3 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT................................................................................................... 4 Chapter 2: Performance Report PURPOSES AND ACTIVITY...................................................................................................... 7 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES......................................................................................................... 9 PERFORMANCE SUMMARY................................................................................................... 10 BETTER STATISTICS, BETTER DECISIONS.............................................................................. 14 OTHER CORPORATE INFORMATION..................................................................................... 18 Chapter 3: Accountability Report MEMBERSHIP OF THE AUTHORITY BOARD......................................................................... 25 GOVERNANCE STATEMENT.................................................................................................... 27 SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION................................................................................ 34 REMUNERATION REPORT........................................................................................................ 39 STAFF REPORT........................................................................................................................... 46 STATEMENT OF PARLIAMENTARY SUPPLY........................................................................... 50 THE CERTIFICATE AND REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS........................................................................... 54 Chapter 4: UK Statistics Authority Annual Accounts STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE NET EXPENDITURE..................................................... 57 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION................................................................................ 58 STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS.............................................................................................. 59 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN TAXPAYERS’ EQUITY......................................................... 60 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 1. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ACCOUNTING CONVENTIONS.. 61 2. SEGMENTAL INFORMATION OF EXPENDITURE AND INCOME.............................. 71 3. STAFF NUMBERS AND RELATED COSTS.................................................................... 72 4. PROGRAMME COSTS.................................................................................................... 73 5. INCOME........................................................................................................................... 74 6. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT......................................................................... 75 7. INTANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS.......................................................................................... 76 8. IMPAIRMENTS................................................................................................................ 79 9. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS........................................................................................... 80 10. TRADE RECEIVABLES AND OTHER ASSETS............................................................... 81 1 1. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS................................................................................ 82 12. TRADE PAYABLES AND OTHER CURRENT LIABILITIES............................................. 82 13. PROVISIONS FOR LIABILITIES AND CHARGES........................................................... 83 14. CAPITAL COMMITMENTS............................................................................................. 85 15. COMMITMENTS UNDER LEASES................................................................................. 85 16. OTHER FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS........................................................................... 86 17. CONTINGENT LIABILITIES............................................................................................. 86 18. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS............................................................................... 86 19. COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENTS................................................................................. 87 20. MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT - TRANSFER OF FUNCTION................................. 88 21. EVENTS ARISING AFTER THE REPORTING DATE....................................................... 88 22. DATE OF AUTHORISATION OF THE ACCOUNTS....................................................... 88 The UK Statistics Authority is an independent body operating at arm’s length from government as a non-ministerial department. It was established on 1 April 2008 by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and reports directly to Parliament and the devolved legislatures. The Authority’s statutory objective is to promote and safeguard the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public good. Chapter 1 Chair’s Foreword, Chief Executive’s Report and about the UK Statistics Authority VI | AnnualAnnual ReportReport 2016/17 2016/17 Sir Andrew Dilnot CBE 1.1 CHAIR’S FOREWORD burdens on respondents. The benefits and opportunities that the statistics This is the ninth Annual Report of the UK provisions in the Digital Economy Act Statistics Authority since it was established provide are considerable and should on 1 April 2008 by the Statistics and enable us to draw on new sources of Registration Service Act 2007. data to support the production of better This will be the final annual report and statistics for the public good. accounts of my five year term as Chair, The UK Statistics Authority continues which comes to an end on 31 March to develop its networks, building links 2017. The need for better and more and engaging with individuals and accurate data is as great as ever. Since the organisations to innovate and provide publication of the five year strategy for insight. In February 2017, we hosted the the UK Statistical System, Better Statistics, inaugural International Economic Statistics Better Decisions, significant progress has Conference in Newport, South Wales. been made towards ensuring that official This event saw leading economists, statistics, analysis and advice enable and academics, statisticians and commentators inform decisions. explore developments in economic We welcome the provisions in the statistics. The newly launched Economic Digital Economy Act 2017 which update Statistics Centre of Excellence and a and clarify the statutory framework to strengthened presence of economists provide a clear legal gateway to access in London will help further develop our the sources of data we need to support economic insight and user engagement. the transformation of UK statistics. In March 2017 the Data Science Campus As the UK’s national statistical institute