The Office for Statistics Regulation wrote to Dr Sarah Rasmussen about ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey ad hoc analysis

26 November 2020 · Ed Humpherson, Director General for Regulation, Office for Statistics Regulation

The letter is dated 26 November 2020. The Office for Statistics Regulation published it as Ed Humpherson to Dr Sarah Rasmussen: ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey ad hoc analysis; it links to 5 official records. Below are 4 passages from the letter in the regulator's own words.

What the Office for Statistics Regulation wrote

“Evidence of a change: We agree that ONS could have done more to explain the uncertainty around the estimates for education staff categories, and the implications of this.”

“His response was consistent with the Statement from the UK Chief Medical Officers on schools and childcare reopening made in August 2020, though we would have liked to see clearer references to the evidence quoted in this statement.”

“In our view the CMO was not quoting the ad hoc analysis published by ONS on 6 November when he addressed the Science and Technology Committee on 3 November.”

“We have been told that the evidence which informed the CMO’s response on 3 November included other published ONS data, data on COVID-related deaths by occupation.”

From Ed Humpherson, Director General for Regulation, Office for Statistics Regulation, letter of 26 November 2020. Read the full letter.

Records the letter links to

• 6 November Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey bulletin
• statement (ons.gov.uk)
• report (gov.uk)
• published ONS data
• Statement from the UK Chief Medical Officers on schools and childcare reopening

Receipt