Flying Pigs Alarmed at New UK Statistics Authority
The new UK Statistics Authority comes into existence today (April Fools Day 2008). It is an independent body, with powers and the obligation to promote, improve, and safeguard official statistics across the UK. Its aim is to rebuild public trust in Government statistics.
There is a general perception that statistical knowledge is all-too-frequently intentionally misused, by finding ways to interpret the data that are favorable to the presenter. A famous saying attributed to Benjamin Disraeli is, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." And Harvard President Lawrence Lowell wrote in 1909 that statistics, "like veal pies, are good if you know the person that made them, and are sure of the ingredients."
"About time" was the immediate reaction from The Tea Musk Times, "Statistics quoted by politicians and political pressure groups are often heavily weighted in favour of their own prejudices and agendas.
If this new drive for honesty and openness can be really believed on "April Fools Day"... TMT gives its full support and will watch closely how things progress".
The new Publication Hub will list each day's new National Statistics releases from all Government Departments as they are published at 9:30 am daily. There will in each case be an electronic link to the relevant page of each Department's website. The hub will therefore permit direct access to the statistical releases produced by statisticians in Departments, without political commentary. This is an interim version of the UK Statistics Authority's Publication Hub which is currently under development.
(See Read more... for the full press release)
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