The Office for Statistics Regulation wrote to Will Moy about COVID-19: test times response at PMQs 3 June 2020

6 August 2020 · Ed Humpherson, Office for Statistics Regulation

The letter, dated 6 August 2020, replies to correspondence of 6 August 2020. The Office for Statistics Regulation published it as Ed Humpherson response to Will Moy: COVID-19: test times response at PMQs 3 June 2020; it links to 2 official records. Below are 4 passages from the letter in the regulator's own words.

What the Office for Statistics Regulation wrote

“DHSC now publishes weekly NHS Test and Trace data, but this series of data only started to be published on 11 June and did not then include the times taken to return the test results.”

“T he data published on 2 July supports the first sentence of the Prime Minister’s response, which was that ‘We already turn around 90% of tests within 48 hours.”

“This statement is consistent with the published data [ 1] for Regional Testing Sites and Mobile Testing Units.”

“As my office has made clear in past statements [ 2], when management information is used publicly and prominently to inform Parliament, the media and the public, it should be published in an accessible form, with appropriate explanations of context and sources.”

From Ed Humpherson, Office for Statistics Regulation, letter of 6 August 2020. Read the full letter.

Records the letter links to

• NHS Test and Trace
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-test-and-trace-statistics-england-16-july-to-22-july-2020 (gov.uk)

Correspondence

• The letter it answered: Will Moy to Ed Humpherson: COVID-19: test times response at PMQs 3 June 2020 (6 August 2020)

Receipt