The Office for Statistics Regulation wrote to Lewis Macdonald MSP about Press Statement from Public Health Scotland on Minimum Unit Pricing for Alcohol

24 July 2020 · Ed Humpherson, Office for Statistics Regulation

The letter, dated 24 July 2020, replies to correspondence of 24 July 2020. The Office for Statistics Regulation published it as Ed Humpherson response to Lewis Macdonald MSP: Press Statement from Public Health Scotland on Minimum Unit Pricing for Alcohol. Below are 4 passages from the letter in the regulator's own words.

What the Office for Statistics Regulation wrote

“Having looked at the concerns in detail, we concluded that the main findings of the research (a net decrease in Scotland of between 4 and 5% in sales per adult over the first year of the policy) are dependent on the difference in movements in alcohol offsales in Scotland (a decline in sales of 2.6%) compared with England and Wales (an increase in sales of 2.3%).”

“T he PHS statisticians we were told had no intention to mislead in the press statement, they were trying to keep the messages straight-forward.”

“There are areas where there could have been a clearer presentation in the press statement, particularly that the research reports an estimated effect of the policy change.”

“A s you point out PHS is a new agency and through our engagement we have seen that its staff understand the importance of maintaining the standards required of the Code of Practice for Statistics.”

From Ed Humpherson, Office for Statistics Regulation, letter of 24 July 2020. Read the full letter.

Correspondence

• The letter it answered: Lewis Macdonald MSP to Ed Humpherson: Press Statement from Public Health Scotland on Minimum Unit Pricing for Alcohol (24 July 2020)

More on Lewis Macdonald.

Receipt