HC Deb 02 February 2004 vol 417 cc636-7W
Mr. Luff

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the Office for National Statistics does not release(a) New Earnings Survey micro-data since 2000, (b) details of the sensitivity of regression results, (c) alternative estimates using Labour Force Survey data and (d) disaggregated Labour Force Survey data to researchers investigating area cost adjustment calculations; and if he will make a statement. [151128]

Ruth Kelly

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Peter Luff, dated 2 February 2004:

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the availability of data to researchers. (151128)

Since 2002 the Office for National Statistics Micro-data Release Panel has implemented revisions to procedures for releasing all micro-data held by ONS. The procedures are derived from the principles of National Statistics, its Code of Practice and protocols, and the law.

New Earnings Survey (NES) micro-data up to 2003, the latest year for which data are available, have been released to other government departments. NES micro-data are available for statistical research purposes through the ONS "virtual data-lab", which provides access to micro-datasets on ONS premises under controlled access conditions, in line with the Code of Practice and protocols. A longitudinal NES dataset used by some academic and government researchers was suspended from 2001 when I initiated a review of the access contracts and methods. Work is now underway to make this dataset available through the virtual data-lab, under different contractual arrangements and methods consistent with the Code of Practice.

Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates of employees' earnings by region, occupation and industry are published in the LFS Quarterly Supplement which is available on the ONS web-site:www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=545&More=N. Anonymised copies of all LFS micro datasets are available to researchers from the UK Data Archive (UKDA). Information about this service is available from the UKDA web-site: www.data-archive.ac.uk. Access requests by government and academic researchers to confidential (non-anonymised) copies of LFS micro-data are considered on a case-by-case basis by the Micro-data Release Panel.

Any research studies carried out by ONS using regression analysis of either NES or LFS earnings data would usually be published if of significance, and of publishable standard. No specific work on the sensitivity of regression results exists for publication, or has been prepared for other reasons. In general, micro-data access is a well recognised statistical service, and all researchers have access to more statistical records than in most countries in Europe.