Welcome

The MRS Census and Geodemographics Group will be holding a seminar on Wednesday 6th November in London to explore how businesses are benefiting from early use of Census and other Open Data.

Topics to be covered will include:

- Illustrations of how areas have changed between 2001 and 2011 - how the Census can be used to track a decade of change.

- Benefits that commercial users are realising from the Census.

- Other open data sources that are freely accessible to users.

- How leading information providers are building their geodemographic discriminators.

To register your interest in this event email cgg@mrs.org.uk

ONS have released the first 42 Detailed Characteristic tables as part of release 3. These tables are available via the NOMIS website. The details of these 42 tables can be found on the ONS website.
Following this release, publication will continue with Detailed Characteristics, which are planned to be completed during the summer. This will be followed by the release of Local Characteristics, planned to start in August 2013.

ONS Census Customer Services are now accepting requests for univariate commissioned tables and will start to take requests for multivariate tables from September 2013. Charges will be for this service will be agreed prior to work commencing, based on the published price list here. Requests should be made through ONS Census Customer Services at: Census.CustomerServices@ons.gsi.gov.uk

On 30th April 2013 Land Registry announced that they plan to release a set of new Open Data including historical Houseprice index tables, historical Price Paid data and the 1862 Register. Read the Open Data Review here:

Two new appointments have been made to the Board of the UK Statistics Authority - Carolyn Fairbairn and Professor David Hand. Carolyn Fairbairn and Professor David Hand have been appointed as Non-Executive Directors of the UK Statistics Authority for three years from 1st April 2013. See the full press release:

The census currently provides the basis for population and socio-demographic statistics in Scotland, but it is becoming increasingly challenging and expensive to conduct. The National Records of Scotland is trying to better understand user needs for population and socio-demographic information and how these future needs might be met. Users are kindly requested to complete an online survey. Please visit the website below for access to the survey. The consultation closes on 9th June 2013

MRS have published their response to the Ofcom consultation on the Postcode Address File (PAF).
View it here:

The Open Data User Group (ODUG) have published their response to the Ofcom Postcode Address File (PAF) Consultation via their Chair Heather Savory's blog piece -
Don't sell our postcodes! ODUG on why we should have Open Addressing in the UK

In a recent report, the Commons Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) concluded, despite the positive steps implemented by the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007, there remain issues and concerns about the way government statistics are produced and disseminated which remain a genuine risk to public confidence in the statistical system and must be addressed. Visit the website below for access to the article and supporting reports:

As part of Beyond 2011's external quality assurance process, ONS will be holding a research conference in collaboration with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the British Society for Population Studies (BSPS). This will take place on Tuesday 30th April and Wednesday 1st May at the University of Southampton.

Booking for this event is now open - places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To reserve your place, please go to the following link:

ONS have released a series of papers by the Beyond 2011 Programme on the research work undertaken over the past 6 months. These are intended to provide much more about the approach they are taking to evaluate the options and what the next steps are. Further papers are to be released in May and July 2013. Visit the link below for access to these papers:

The statistics in this release are a new presentation of the data released as part of the Key Statistics and Quick Statistics for output areas in England and Wales that were published 30 January 2013. They provide new best fit aggregations of these statistics for health administration areas and postcode sectors in England and Wales, and also for National Assembly for Wales constituencies and Assembly for Wales electoral regions. The estimates are best-fitted from output areas in line with the Geography Policy for National Statistics.

This release follows on from that of the Key Statistics on 11 December 2012 and contains new detailed tables for some characteristics of the people living in England and Wales on 27 March 2011. Statistics available from this release include main language, method of travel to work and economic activity of students.

Interactive data visualisations are also available to aid interpretation and users can enter postcodes into the interactive maps to focus on specific areas.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) would like to evaluate the benefits to the commercial sector gained from census data and develop the case for continued production of the small area data. They are keen to hear from anybody working in the commercial sector about their use of census data.
The survey is available for completion online www.surveymonkey.com/s/DJ5RBGB or alternatively you can complete it via a Word document, available from the benefits realisation team.

If you have any comments on the survey or if you would like to tell ONS about your use of census data in an alternative way, please get in touch with the 2011 Census benefits realisation team at: benefits.realisation@ons.gsi.gov.uk

If you or your company has derived benefit from analysing census data, then please ensure you complete the survey or contact the benefits realisation team.

Ensure that your organisation's views and needs are heard.
The Beyond 2011 (B2011) programme was initiated by the National Records of Scotland in 2011 to propose viable alternative options to the traditional census. The census has long been the benchmark for capturing a comprehensive, consolidated and accurate snapshot of the population. However, various sources indicate that the current system of providing population and key socio-demographic statistics is no longer meeting all user needs.

The B2011 programme will produce an options paper for ministers, describing the work that has been completed in the research phase and detailing the options for the next phases. As part of this research phase, they need to determine what the user requirements are for producing small area population and socio-demographic statistics and they are planning a series of workshops in Edinburgh on the 19th and 21st Feb. For more information please visit: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/beyond-2011/consultations-events/events/index.html

During the workshops you will have the opportunity to express your views on the B2011 programme. If you wish to attend please send an email to Beyond2011@gro-scotland.gsi.gov.uk, indicating the day you wish to attend and the session, as there are morning and afternoon sessions for both days.

In addition they are using a forum of discussion in the The Knowledge Hub (formerly known as Communities of Practice) to promote Beyond 2011 engagement activities as well as publication notifications. If you would like to sign-up to the Beyond 2011 portal then please follow the link below: https://knowledgehub.local.gov.uk/group/scottishbeyond2011programmebeyond2011scotland

ONS have produced a 2011 Census User Guide which brings together the information users need in order to understand and use statistics from the 2011 Census in England and Wales. www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/census-data/2011-census-user-guide/index

Newly available: information about variables and classifications, a comprehensive glossary, and a report about comparability over time. The guide also contains information about quality assurance, quality measures, comparability with other data sources, statistical disclosure control methods, coverage assessment and adjustment methods, and frequently asked questions. It is reported that the guide will expand over time as the releases become more detailed.

The Key Statistics interface has now been updated (v2.5) and is available at the following link: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/census-data/index
This tool enables comparisons between 2001 and 2011 Census population estimates of selected tables and is available in both Office 2003 and 2007 versions

ONS have published QS209EW and table CT0010EW (Ethnic group - write-in responses). This 2011 Census release provides tables with detailed information on the ethnic group of the usual resident population of England and Wales as at census day, 27 March 2011.

A press release issued by the Department for Business Innovation & Skills on 12th December 2012 confirmed that more than £8 million of investment will help public bodies release data so that companies can develop new commercial opportunities. The funding runs to 2015 and was announced by Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude and Business and Skills Minister Matthew Hancock. Read the full press release here:

In this release you will find the statistical bulletin and reference tables.

ONS have published Key Statistics for local authorities in England and Wales from the 2011 Census. This release marks the beginning of the release of detailed information about the characteristics of the people living in England and Wales on 27 March 2011. The data can be accessed from here:

ONS have published population and household estimates at output area and ward level for England and Wales, (unrounded, five year age bands by sex). Previously, this information was published at local authority level. The publication of this data completes the first release of census information. The release is available on the ONS website at:

People across Great Britain are being given the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of open data and the tools and techniques to use open datasets, through a series of free masterclasses hosted by Ordnance Survey.
For more information and dates please visit:

Finding new ways to use information held by the public sector will be examined in a new independent review jointly launched on 22.10.2012 by Ministers at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Cabinet Office.

The comprehensive review, which was announced in the Open Data White Paper, will improve access to data and help promote economic growth by examining the market for public sector information.

 At the end of the review, recommendations will be made to Ministers on how to widen access and consider new and innovative opportunities for open data. In particular, the review will look at the following areas:
- the current use of public sector information within government, the private sector and by the general public;
- the opportunities for innovation and developing new data services with public sector information;
- the constraints on developing new services with public sector information and the role that current funding models play;
-the impact of competitiveness on existing and new businesses entering the market, as well as the way in which organisations secure access to data; and
- an audit of current and past studies, as well as taking stock of the current use and re-use of public sector information.

Stephan Shakespeare, Chair of the Data Strategy Board, has been appointed to lead the independent review. The review complements the work of the Data Strategy Board and will ensure that other projects are aligned to the review, avoiding unnecessary duplication of time and resource. Stephan will also work with the Open Data Institute, to build on their work into the economic benefits and business models for open data, and with other public and private sector advocates of open data.

 Read the full press release here:

ONS have published the number of people with second addresses in local authorities in England and Wales from the 2011 Census. This release provides the number of usual residents in England and Wales who reported having a second address outside of the local authority in which they were usually resident.
The release includes two separate tables which provide, down to local authority level:
- the number of people who spend more than 30 days a year at a second address in a local authority where they do not usually live, and
- the number of people usually resident in each local authority who had a second address elsewhere.
 Two further tables provide similar figures at regional level.
 The data can be accessed from here:

Graphs and maps are a great way of making statistics memorable and meaningful, visit the ONS website for interactive mapping and data visualisation that allows you to engage with ONS data.

The Open Data User Group (ODUG) has called on developers and the open data community to submit requests for the release of data they believe will have commercial and social benefits and contribute to economic growth. Anyone with an interest in accessing public sector information can submit a request to the ODUG using a new online form.

ONS published the first unrounded results from the 2011 Census of Population for England and Wales on 24th September. The release covers the population estimates first published 16 July in the '2011 Census: Population and household estimates for England and Wales' which were rounded to 100, but with the additional detail of single year of age by sex at local authority level. The mid-2011 population estimates due to be published on 25 September are based on these unrounded 2011 Census estimates. A detailed examination of the differences between the census and mid-2011 population estimates will accompany the mid-year population estimates. Further results from the 2011 Census will be released later in the year, information is available in the 2011 Census Output Prospectus.

The second release of the 2011 Census statistics will take place between November 2012 and February 2013. Final table layouts for Key Statistics and Quick Statistics are available to download from the ONS website.