The UK Statistics Authority wrote to Shaun Bailey MP about GDP forecast
The letter, dated 16 January 2024, replies to correspondence of 28 November 2023. The UK Statistics Authority published it as Response from Sir Robert Chote to Shaun Bailey MP – GDP forecast
; it links to 2 official records. Below are 2 passages from the letter in the regulator's own words.
What the UK Statistics Authority wrote
“In this instance brevity was a source of confusion and it would have been clearer and more accurate to have said that the economy was forecast to be around £40 billion smaller by 2027 than if it were still forecast to grow at the rates expected by the OBR in March.”
“The average person in the street would not be able to square the Shadow Chancellor’s statement with the OBR’s published figures.”
From Sir Robert Chote, UK Statistics Authority, letter of 16 January 2024. Read the full letter.
The words the letter quotes
The letter quotes 1 passage from the public record:
“The economy is now forecast to be £40 billion smaller by 2027 than the Chancellor said back in March.” [1]”
Records the letter links to
Correspondence
- The letter it answered: Letter from Shaun Bailey MP to Sir Robert Chote – GDP forecast (28 November 2023)
More on Shaun Bailey.
Receipt
| Read from | https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/correspondence/response-from-sir-robert-chote-to-shaun-bailey-mp-gdp-forecast/ |
|---|---|
| Date read | 15 October 2026 |
| SHA-256 | a1ca4894468d2ac940cf5fd2d3f0301db0236371885efeed8d69ecc732062762 |
| PDF on the letter page | https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/20240116_Response-to-Shaun-Bailey.pdfb1378076cf2139ea919379c5498323b611ccf5268e1a5cbf778d089081b10a92 |