The UK Statistics Authority wrote to Mark Griffin MSP about figures on Scottish Planning Approvals

6 March 2025 · Sir Robert Chote, Chair, UK Statistics Authority

The letter, dated 6 March 2025, replies to correspondence of 17 December 2024. The UK Statistics Authority published it as Letter from Sir Robert Chote to Mark Griffin MSP – figures on Scottish Planning Approvals; it links to 1 official record. Below are 4 passages from the letter in the regulator's own words.

What the UK Statistics Authority wrote

“According to the principles of intelligent transparency, data should be available publicly at the same time that officials make statements based on it, with an explanation of context, sources, and limitations.”

“As noted in your letter, the supporting data was subsequently published in response to your Parliamentary Questions, but this should not be used as a standard approach for releasing data.”

“Future uses of this claim should clearly indicate that this is a high-level estimate.”

“We agree that the quality of this data remains unclear based on the limited information included in the response to your Parliamentary Question.”

From Sir Robert Chote, Chair, UK Statistics Authority, letter of 6 March 2025. Read the full letter.

The words the letter quotes

The letter quotes 1 passage from the public record:

“164,000 homes across Scotland have planning permission but are not yet built”.”

Records the letter links to

• Parliamentary Questions (parliament.scot)

Correspondence

• The letter it answered: Mark Griffin MSP to Ed Humpherson – figures on Scottish Planning Approvals (17 December 2024)

More on Mark Griffin.

Receipt