What's New Archive
2007
UK Data Archive commissioned outputs service
22 October - The UK Data Archive has recently launched a new commissioned outputs service for customers who require ready-made figures/tables rather than the underlying survey micro data. Customers may request outputs from surveys that they have already identified or the UKDA will help customers identify the most appropriate survey and variables.
Location, Location, Location: The best & worst place to live in the UK
19 October - This site includes details of the methodology & sources used to compile the results for the programme Location, Location, Location: Best & Worst LIVE! 2007. All 434 UK local authorities were judged on exactly the same criteria - crime, education, employment, environment, lifestyle and health, using the latest official statistics available across all 434 authorities at the time of research and production.
www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/best&worst/2007/Best-Worst-2007-Methodology.html
Internet-based neighbourhood information systems and their consequences
17 October - This study from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation looks at the emergence of internet-based information systems (IBNIS), examining a range of sites in detail. Based on interviews with those involved in the development of such sites in the UK and USA, it looks at how technology can be used to classify and sort people and places.
www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/housing/0405.asp
Treasury invites written evidence for inquiry into Counting the Population
24 September - The House of Commons Treasury Sub-Committee announces a forthcoming inquiry into Counting the Population. The inquiry will examine the collection of statistics by the Office for National Statistics relating to the size, age, sex and distribution of people, the accuracy of such statistics and the role and value of such statistics. The Sub-Committee is asking for written evidence by 28 November to inform it in advance of oral evidence sessions in early 2008.
www.parliament.uk
Information commissioner sparks debate on information sharing
7 August - Richard Thomas, the information commissioner, has warned that while some data-sharing can be useful, Britons have woken up in a “surveillance society” without debating its emergence. And there are concerns that errors weaken trust in data-sharing.
www.ft.com
Surveillance society watchdog warns of increase in data sharing
7 August - The information commission has warned that confidential personal data is now often shared without people’s knowledge. The increasingly complex web of information sharing – involving the public and private sectors, and bodies ranging from hospitals to credit reference agencies – can make it hard for people to assert their legal rights to view information held about them.
www.ft.com
ID cards will give false data - BBC File on 4
1 August - According to BBC File on 4 an academic has claimed the government's ID card system will give thousands of "false matches" when more than six million people are registered on its database.
The following link includes transcripts and an mp3 download of the programme.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/file_on_4/6922882.stm
Nomination for Chair of the new Statistics Board
19 July - The Chancellor of the Exchequer has nominated Sir Michael Scholar, currently President of St John's College, Oxford, as the first Chair of the new independent Statistics Board. The Statistics Board will deliver the Government's goal of greater independence for statistics: reinforcing the quality and integrity of statistics in government, supporting the Government's agenda for better public services, and contributing to long-term stability in the UK economy.
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2007/press_80_07.cfm
Occasional paper on migrating households and groups
13 July - The General Register Office for Scotland has published Occasional Paper No.15 which presents information from the 2001 Census on migrating households and groups. Comparisons are made between wholly moving and partly moving households.
The paper also contains analyses at local authority level and between urban and rural areas.
www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/occpapers/
Ethnographic Database Project launched
21 June - Researchers at University College London have launched the Ethnographic Database Project (EDP), a web-based tool for the collection of comparative ethnographic data. For more information about the project and to find out how to contribute visit the EDP website:
www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucsalfo/EDP/
Scotland Census Consultation - MRS Response
12 June - The MRS Census and Geodemographics Group has responded to the to the Scotland Census Consultation issued by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) in preparation for the 2011 Census. You can read the response on the MRS website:
www.mrs.org.uk
Output Area Classification User Group Meeting - 18th September
9 July - This half day meeting will be held on Tuesday 18 September 2007 at the Royal Statistical Society and provide an opportunity to share experiences of using OAC.
www.areaclassification.org.uk/?page_id=26
Latest issue of Population Trends
4 June - As planning for the 2011 Census gathers pace, the latest issue of the National Statistics' Population Trends outlines the proposed strategy for coverage assessment and adjustment for the 2011 Census.
www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_population/PopulationTrends127.pdf
New website for the OAC User Group
31 May -The Output Area Classification (OAC) User Group has launched a new version of its website with added content such as 'getting started with OAC' and news of the Group's next event - an information exchange for OAC users.
www.oaclassification.org.uk
Understanding Population Trends and Processes: Research Findings
22 May -Understanding Population Trends and Processes (UPTAP) is an ESRC funded initiative which is set to run until the end of 2009. There are currently 24 projects involving 36 researchers, and the programme is coordinated by Professor John Stillwell of Leeds University. The first four findings from the research programme are now available on the UPTAP website.
New site: The Centre for Interaction Data Estimation and Research
23 May -The Centre for Interaction Data Estimation and Research (CIDER) is funded by the ESRC and has an online interface for extracting data on migration and commuting flows from the 1981, 1991 and 2001 Censuses of Population. Registered academic users of census data can extract and download flow data using the query interface known as WICID.
cider.census.ac.uk
Innovative Methodologies for Censuses in the New Millennium
14 June - Running from 31 August - 2 September 2007 at the Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute, University of Southampton, this meeting is intended to cover all the methodological aspects of the census process. The meeting is a satellite meeting of the 56th Session of the ISI, Lisbon. Deadline for discount registration 30th June 2007.
www.s3ri.soton.ac.uk/isi2007
British Household Panel Survey 2007 Conference
22 May -ISER will be hosting the 2007 British Household Panel Survey Research Conference on 5-7 July at the University of Essex. The conference provides an international forum for the exchange of research based on longitudinal data. An important aim of the conference is to bring together people from different disciplines. Papers may be based on any aspect of economics, sociology, politics, social psychology, or research and survey methods.
ISER starts work on the world's largest household panel study
16 May - ISER, in collaboration with the University of Warwick and the Institute of Education, is to start work on a new 40,000 Household Longitudinal Study, funded by the ESRC. The study is multi-topic and designed to meet the research needs of a range of disciplines across the social and bio-medical sciences. The large sample size will enable unprecedented analysis of the diversity of the UK population and how it is changing over time. It will include a sample boost for ethnic minority groups.
An open consultative meeting will be held at the Royal Statistical Society on 19 June to identify and develop the topics for inclusion in the survey.
Census User Consultation on Ethnicity, National Identity, Religion and Language
11 April - The MRS Census and Geodemographics Group has responded to the ONS Census User Consultation on Ethnicity, National Identity, Religion and Language for the 2011 Census in England and Wales.
Preparing for the next Census in Scotland
The Registrar General for Scotland has issued a consultation document about its preparations for the next Census in Scotland. The consultation document is available form the Registrar General's website, the consultation period runs to 7 June.
Radical data for radical research: Tracking and tracing
This seminar, to be held at the Royal Statistical Society, London on 9 May, asks how research is able to use data produced as a by-product of day-to-day transactions, for example from use of mobile phones, CCTV footage or from loyalty cards. It is being organised jointly by the ESRC e-Society Programme, the ESRC Research Methods Programme and Chimera, University of Essex..
Southwark Atlas of Health
This website illustrates the use of geodemographics in health by presenting case studies of real targeting campaigns in Southwark as well the underlying theory. The website is an outreach activity of a Knowledge Partnership between UCL CASA Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis and the NHS. The project is based in Southwark Primary Care Trust.
GeoHive: Global Statistics
GeoHive contains geopolitical data and statistics on the human population including; population statistics of regions, countries, provinces and cities. There are also statistics on economic factors such as wealth, infrastructure, and statistics on natural phenomena.
Small Area Geography - Planning for the Future
The MRS Census and Geodemographics Group (CGG) held a meeting on the Monday 5th February to discuss the ONS proposals, and help shape the response that the CGG has now made. This response, along with presentations from the meeting are now available on the MRS site.
RSS Census Study Group and Statistics User Forum - 3 May 2007
The Royal Statistical Society Census Study Group and Statistics User Forum are organizing a one day seminar to discuss 2011 census geography development and its impact on UK statistics for small areas.
Further information (pdf)
New look Census Website
Pages relating to the 2011 Census have been added to the new look ONS Census site. New information includes a set of definitions to be used in the 2007 Census Test, and a copy of the Welsh language version of the household questionnaire.
Census In Wales
Responsibility for making Census Regulations with respect to the Census in Wales has recently been transferred from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the National Assembly for Wales, following Parliamentary approval in December 2006.
Ordnance Survey Licensing - an interview with Ed Parsons
Ed Parsons, the former chief technology officer of the Ordnance Survey talks to e-Consultancy about internet mapping and his plans for the future.
Output Area Classification (OAC) seminar, 2 April
The newly formed OAC User Group has arranged a repeat of the popular afternoon seminar first held on 2 November 2006 which explores the use and value of this public domain classification in 'open geodemographics'. The event is at the Royal Statistical Society in London on 2 April. The User Group website, currently being expanded to cover all aspects of OAC, has more information.
Market Research gets a Second Life
New Zealand’s Market Truths and France’s Reperes get to grips with the online virtual world. Both firms have recruited panels of Second Life residents over the past few months to take part in surveys.
MPs debate statistics reform
Opposition MPs have criticised government plans to create an independent statistics board, while the government equates the prospective independence of the ONS in 2007 with the independence of the Bank of England in 1997.
Consultation: National Statistics Small Area Geography Policy
The Office for National Statistics is running a 12 week public consultation that will help it to define a long term geography policy for the next Census and beyond. The consultation paper details its proposals, the background and issues related to them, and contains consultation questions. The ONS has created a dedicated online consultation site, where you can respond to the consultation questions, contribute to a consultation blog and take part in a forum where debate is actively encouraged.
Workshop: Geodemographics and the Social Sciences
The workshop will introduce participants to the technique of geodemographics. Sessions include; Applications and Case Studies, Data profiling and interpretation, Dynamics, lifestyles and future directions. The workshop will be held on the 22 March 2007 at the University of Sheffield.
www.reallifemethods.ac.uk/training/workshops/geodemographics
2011 Census: Updated view on content - Open meetings
The ONS is holding a series of open meetings in March in London, Sheffield and Cardiff to further develop views on the content of the 2011 Census in England and Wales.
Further details and how to register for attendance at a meeting are available on the National Statistics website.
RSS Statistics User Forum – Improving Access to Government Datasets 18 January 2007
This all day event, chaired by Jil Matheson of ONS, will consider: a wide range of different users’ experiences, views from data suppliers, a discussion of the options and priorities for improving access.
ASC International Conference on Survey and Statistical Computing 12/14 September 2007
The Challenges of a Changing World: Developments in the Survey Process. Speakers include Karen Dunnell, the UK National Statistician and Denise Lievesley, Chief Executive of the UK’s Information Centre for Health and Social Care.
Contribute to the debate - call for papers (deadline 12 January 2007)