Statistics watchdog to monitor education department

The UK Statistics Authority has cautioned the Department for Education for delaying data releases and providing unclear information to the public.

In a letter sent to the department and made public on 26 September, Ed Humpherson, the UKSA’s director for regulation, said the statistics watchdog would monitor the DfE “in the coming weeks and months” to ensure it takes action to improve how it uses data.

Humpherson added that the department should be transparent about plans to develop or release statistics, especially those cited in freedom of information responses, and indicate likely release dates where possible.