ONS International Migration Statistics User Guide

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has recently published an "International Migration Statistics First Time User Guide". The guide is designed as a short introduction to the key concepts which underpin migration statistics, and to provide information on the range of data sources/statistics related to international migration which are available. The guide is aimed at people who are new to using migration statistics.

The guide can be found on the ONS Migration theme page (in the 'Behind the Scenes' section) or can be accessed from the following link:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/external-links/other/international-migration-stats-first-time-user-guide.html

ONS would welcome any comments on the first time user guide, which should be sent to migstatsunit@ons.gov.uk .

Census consultation: Future provision of population statistics

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is launching a three month public consultation on the census and future provision of population statistics in England and Wales today.

After each census, ONS reviews the future needs for information about the population and housing in England and Wales, and how these needs might be met.

Improvements in technology and in government data sources offer opportunities to either modernise the existing census process, or to develop an alternative census method that reuses existing data already held within government.

The ONS' research has resulted in two approaches for taking the census in future:

• a census once a decade, like that conducted in 2011, but primarily online
• a census using existing government data and compulsory annual surveys.

ONS believe that both approaches would provide annual statistics about the size of the population, nationally and for local authorities. A census using existing data and surveys would provide more statistics about the characteristics of the population every year. An online census would provide more detailed statistics once a decade.

The consultation document describes these approaches, their strengths and weaknesses and the different types of information they could provide:

http://ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/get-involved/consultations/consultations/beyond-2011-consultation/beyond-2011-consultation-doc-c1.pdf

No decision has yet been made, and we welcome your views. Please respond using the online questionnaire:

http://ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/get-involved/consultations/consultations/beyond-2011-consultation/index.html

CONTACTS

Queries relating to tables or the census in general should be addressed to: census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk.

Queries relating to boundaries/geography should be addressed to: ons.geography@ons.gov.uk

ONS Workshop: International Migration and the 2011 Census

A workshop hosted by the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford.

Date: Monday 25 February 2013
Time: 13:45-14.45
Place: Dahrendorf Seminar Room, St. Antony’s College Oxford

Speakers:
Emma Wright
Head of Population Analysis, UK Office for National Statistics

Peter Stokes
Census Statistical Design Manager, UK Office for National Statistics

For more information about the workshop please contact carlos.vargas-silva@compas.ox.ac.uk, 01865 284975.

All are welcome to attend but spaces are limited, so please RSVP to lindsey.robinson@compas.ox.ac.uk.

Feedback on 2011 Census data

This is your opportunity to feed back your views on the 2011 Census data

The ONS has developed a user satisfaction survey about the 2011 Census data that will take around 15 minutes to complete.

Your views on the presentation and associated commentary, datasets and supporting information will provide valuable feed back for future planning.


The survey will remain open until Friday 8th March. This should enable you to view/use the data before responding.

If you have any further comments on this survey which fall outside of the questions, please email benefits.realisation@ons.gov.uk

click here to enter 2011 Census user satisfaction survey: -> https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DJSB97K

USEFUL CENSUS CONTACTS

Queries relating to tables or the census in general should be addressed to: census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk

Queries relating to boundaries/geography should be addressed to: ons.geography@ons.gov.uk

2011 Census homepage :
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/index.html

The Changing Shape of UK Business: An event to promote the use and understanding of business statistics

As part of the Office for National Statistics' drive to promote the use and understanding of business statistics, the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are jointly coordinating an event:
The Changing Shape of UK Business

Understanding the structure, content and performance of UK business

The event is an opportunity producers of business statistics, to engage with a wide range of stakeholders. The event will be opened by Andrew Dilnot CBE, Chair of the UK Statistics Authority, and former Director of the Institute of Fiscal Studies. It will feature a range of talks from users, producers and suppliers of business statistics, not just from central government and the Devolved Administrations, but also local government, business representatives and researchers. The event will also include a  session to discuss the priorities for users and producers of business statistics over the next few years.

The objectives of the event are to:

• share what we know about the structure, content and performance of UK business;
• raise awareness of the importance and coverage of our statistics;
• hear from users about the range of uses to which our statistics are put; and
• discuss future plans and priorities with a range of users.

Venue and date

The all-day event will take place at the St Giles Hotel, central London, on Tuesday 6 November 2012.

Presentations

The organisers are hoping to bring together a collection of speakers from a range of backgrounds in order to share and learn from one another's experiences of using business statistics in different contexts.

Therefore they are calling for presentations on users experiences using business statistics  - for example, what statistics you use, how you use them, and what decisions or research are informed by them. Presentation slots will be 20 minutes, which will include some time for questions, and the organisers are more than happy to discuss proposed talks.

The deadline for submission of abstracts is Tuesday 11 September 2012, and the deadline to receive presentations will be Tuesday 23 October 2012. Please send abstracts to Katy Nicholls, katy.nicholls@ons.gsi.gov.uk .

Registration

Please visit event web page to download the registration form and to find more information on the agenda and logistical arrangements: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/media-centre/events/the-changing-shape-of-uk-businesses/index.html.

The deadline for registration is Friday 12 October 2012. There will be no charge for attendees at this event, but please note that numbers are limited.

Intergrated Household Survey Consultation

In light of the diminishing sample size of the Integrated Household Survey and subsequent loss of statistical precision for Sexual Identity estimates at the Local Authority level, ONS is asking for feedback from IHS data users on this proposal for the future of the IHS datasets.

ONS do not believe quarterly annual IHS datasets, comprising only the Annual Population Survey and the Living Costs and Food Survey, provide value for money and propose to reduce the IHS to one annual dataset per year – based on the January to December fieldwork period.

The last quarterly dataset ONS is planning to produce will be the April 2011 to March 2012 dataset, which will comprise four quarters of APS and LCF and only three quarters of GLF. This experimental dataset is due to be released in September 2012, with its associated Statistical Bulletin. The next dataset will be the January to December 2012 dataset, due to be released in June 2013. This means that datasets Jul11-Jun12 and Oct11-Sep12 will be omitted from production and delivery.

ONS are interested in IHS data users' views on this proposal and would appreciate feedback by the end of October 2012, using the email addresses below: 

caroline.jones@ons.gsi.gov.uk
dean.fletcher@ons.gsi.gov.uk
simon.woodsford@ons.gsi.gov.uk

Conference of the Migration Statistics User Forum

18th September 2012
Home Office HQ, 2 Marsham Street, London SWIP 4DF

The Migration Statistics User Forum is holding a conference on 18 September in partnership with the Home Office.  Details of the event are now available, including a draft programme and details of how to book a place. These can be viewed at www.rss.org.uk/migration-statistics.

This conference is open to all those with an interest in migration statistics and there is no charge for this event but pre-registration is essential. Please email MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk if you have any questions not answered at the above conference details webpage.

This day conference has been designed to appeal to a wide range of users of international migration statistics and relates to the Migration Statistics User Forum’s aim to provide a forum where users and producers can discuss the need, presentation and use of data on migration.

The conference programme has speakers from Home Office Statistics, the Office for National Statistics and users of the statistics. The day is also designed to allow lots of scope for discussion and questioning. Details of the draft programme are contained in the above weblink.

Migration Statistics - update

Home Office’s Immigration Statistics January - March 2012 release, published today, provides the latest provisional figures on those subject to immigration control. It is available at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q1-2012/

The Migration Statistics Quarterly Report has also been published by the ONS at:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/migration-statistics-quarterly-report/may-2012/msqr.html

The programme for the Migration Statistics User Forum day conference on 18 September is now available at:

www.rss.org.uk/migration-statistics

There is no charge for this event but pre-registration is essential.

Please email MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk if you have any questions not answered at the above conference details webpage.

Statistics on Wealth Inequality

A meeting of the Official Statistics Section will take place on 21 May 2012 from 5 to 7pm with tea/coffee served in the basement from 4.30pm.

RSS, Errol Street, EC1Y 8LX

Speakers

Elaine Chamberlain, Statistician, Wealth and Assets Survey, Office for National Statistics
John Hills, Professor of Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Director of the Research Centre for the Analysis of Social Exclusion

Summary

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) conducted the first wave of the Wealth and Assets Survey between July 2006 and June 2008.  This survey is unique in both its comprehensive coverage of assets (financial, property, pensions, possessions), debts and savings, attitudes towards debt and savings and the characteristics of households, but also in its coverage of all persons living in private households in Great Britain.

The second wave of the survey, returning to households who responded in wave 1, commenced in July 2008, finishing in June 2010.

Elaine will speak about the results from wave 2 of the survey, the first of which were published in December 2011:  http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/was/wealth-in-great-britain-wave-2/2008-2010--part-1-/pra---was-wave-2--part-1-.pdf. Further data, including the first longitudinal data from the survey, are due to be published in the first half of 2012.

John will range more widely over statistics available on wealth and income inequality and their implications, and will also respond to the ONS presentation.

Attendance

Attendance is free and open to all, but pre-registration is recommended. You can register by email meetings@rss.org.uk or by phone (020) 7638 8998. 

For further information about the meeting contact Philip Turnbull (pturnbullmk@gmail.com).

ONS Consultation on International Migration Outpus

The Office for National Statistics is beginning a review into the methods used to produce the migration assumptions which feed into the production of the national population projections. The current methodology was introduced for the 1991-based national population projections with some later modifications made for the 1996-based NPPs. However patterns of migration and data availability have changed since then which is why ONS are taking forward this review.

 A project board has been set up and consists of the NPP Committee, the Head of ONS's Migration Statistics Unit and a representative from ONS's Methodology Directorate. The review work itself will be carried out by Jakub Bijak of the University of Southampton over the summer of 2012

It is important to that the new methods are not only statistically robust but that they meet user needs and therefore ONS are consulting with key stakeholders through a User Forum. They are also interested in hearing from any other users of the population projections who would like to feed in their views on the content and timing of any of the following statistical outputs:

* Migration flows
* Population stocks
* Local Area Migration Indicators
* Migration Reporting
* Data Explorer Tool

For details on the consultation and how to respond please see the ONS website:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/consultations/open-consultations/international-migration/index.html or contact Suzie Dunsmith at natpopproj@ons.gsi.gov.ukor or by phoning 01329 444023.

.

Final Reports from the Migration Statistics Improvement Programme

Five final reports were published on Tuesday 27th March and can be found on the MSIP latest news page:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/method-quality/imps/latest-news/index.html

1. Migration Statistics Improvement Programme Final Report

In April 2008, the Office for National Statistics established the Migration Statistics Improvement Programme. This report describes why the programme was created, the outputs that have been delivered and the benefits that have been achieved or will be achieved as a result of the Programme.

2. A Conceptual Framework for Population and Migration Statistics

Reporting on the conceptual framework for UK population and migration statistics which will underpin the development of population and migration statistics in the future, and will facilitate communication between users and providers.

3. Using administrative data to set plausibility ranges for population estimates in England and Wales

Reporting on the approaches and data sources used for setting plausibility ranges for population estimates. Administrative sources are combined to set an upper and lower limit within which population estimates might reasonably be expected to fall.

4. Strategy for Delivering Statistical Benefits from e-Borders

This report describes the relevance of e-Borders to migration statistics and explains how the work will be taken forward over the next few years.

5. Research Report: Uncertainty in Local Authority Mid Year Population Estimates

Describes the methodology used to develop Quality Indicators for Population Estimates which are published alongside the report for each local authority in England and Wales. The report also describes the methodology to develop a Statistical Measure of Uncertainty for each local authority which will be published later in 2012.

March 2012 Road Shows:

If you are interested in viewing the presentation slides from these road shows, they are now available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/method-quality/imps/msi-programme/communication/msip-seminars-2012/seminars-presentation/index.html

A report summarising feedback from the March road shows will be published later in the year once the responses have been collated.

Future Contact: The IMPS mail box will continue to be available for feedback on aspects of the MSIP programme or have questions for the ongoing research team relating to the programme: IMPS@ons.gsi.gov.uk

Using Large-Scale Government Microdata for Employment and Labour Market Research

Tuesday 22 May 2012
Humanities Bridgeford Street Building, University of Manchester

A one day training event organised by ESDS government in collaboration with the Office for National Statistics. This workshop is aimed at anyone unfamiliar with large scale government datasets or labour market research. It will introduce those interested in the broad areas of labour market and employment to the microdata available at ESDS Government. It will provide participants with:

1. a broad overview of the different type of information available in the main large scale Government surveys that can be used in conjunction with traditional labour market indicators;

2. a more detailed presentation of the Labour Force Survey, including its fieldwork and data quality issues;

3. a hands-on computer practical enabling users to familiarise themselves with LFS data and perform simple analysis.

The workshop is free to attend and lunch will be provided. To view the programme and book a place please go to http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/esds/events/2012-05-22/

Business Microdata Workshop

Researchers interested to know more about how business microdata might expand or accelerate their work are invited to a free workshop in London. The Secure Data Service, a partner of both the UK Data Archive and the Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS), is hosting the workshop in support of the ESRC Secondary Data Analysis Initiative.

The half-day event, set for 21 February 2012 from 13.00 to 16.00, will be moved to the Medical Research Council offices in London to accommodate additional researchers.

The programme will provide an introduction to the range of business data made available to qualified and approved researchers through the Secure Data Service. This data is collected by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), and other government agencies. These data are confidential and collected under statistics legislation. Because they are highly identifiable, they can only be accessed under secure conditions. Attendees will learn how the Secure Data Service works, including details on how to apply. There will also be a surgery session to respond to user needs and questions.

This is one of a series of events organised by ESDS in support of the ESRC Secondary Data Analysis Initiative. These events are designed for researchers who are not current users of these ESRC-funded data resources, and who wish to apply for grants under this Initiative. It is not suitable for students.

The course is free to attend, but booking is essential. See details and booking form at the link below:

http://www.esds.ac.uk/news/eventdetail.asp?id=3060

Immigration Statistics July-Sept 2011

The Home Office has published Immigration Statistics July – September 2011. This release provides the latest provisional figures on those subject to immigration control, for the period up to the end of September 2011 and is available from http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q3-2011/

 The release includes a number of new developments that are detailed on the Summary page http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q3-2011/immigration-q3-summary 

If you have any questions or comments about this release, please send an email to MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk 

Also released today are migration- and population–related data from Office for National Statistics, Department for Work and Pensions and National Records of Scotland, all of which can be accessed from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/index.html 

ONS Consultation - future of NOMIS

ONS is proposing an alternative to NOMIS for access to labour market data https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp

If you use NOMIS, or plan to use it in the future please have a look at this consultation. It seems that there will be a lot less flexibility in the range of outputs, in particular for geographical analysis. The ONS are asking for researchers to let them know how they would like the data to be presented and which breakdowns are of use to them. It is important you make a case for the data you need as once these categories and breakdowns have been decided on they will not change.

For more information and to for an list of individual datasets and how they will be affected please see https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/articles/557.aspx?Session_GUID=&

Responses should be sent by 20 May 2011 to Bob.Watson@ons.gov.uk

Measuring National Well-being - what matters to you?

Tuesday 12 April 2011, 5.00 - 7.00pm
Alcuin Research Resource Centre (ARRC), University of York

The Office for National Statistics are developing new measures of national well-being and they want to know what matters to you. Experts from ONS, the University of York and the Equality and Human Rights Commission will be on hand to answer your questions, listen to your views and debate the issues around which facets of life are valuable to your sense of well-being and how we should try to measure them.


The panel will be:
Prof Kate Pickett - University of York, author of ‘The Spirit Level: Why more Equal Societies Almost Always do Better’
Aileen Simkins - Senior Responsible Owner of the Measuring National Well-being Programme, Office for National Statistics
Prof Jonathan Bradshaw - University of York, author of ‘Developing an Index of Children’s Subjective Well-being in England’
David Darton - Director of Foresight, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Prof Roy Sainsbury - University of York, Research Director, Welfare and Employment, Social Policy Research Unit

The debate is free and open to all, however registration is important as places are limited. Please book a place at: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1487839167

Background information from ONS is available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/well-being.

Debate on the validity of subjective measures of well-being

Are national statistics on subjective well-being valid and reliable?

Monday 4 April 2011, 5.00 - 6.30pm with drinks reception to follow 6.30-7.30pm

Venue: Alexander Theatre, Samuel Alexander Building, University of Manchester, Lime Grove (off Oxford Road), Manchester, M13 9PL (Building number 67 on the campus map)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) and methods@manchester are holding a debate on “Are national statistics on subjective well-being valid and reliable?” at the University of Manchester. This supports the national debate on measuring national well-being.

The panel members will be asked questions from the chair and members of the audience. Please register in advance of the event and submit your questions on the registration form. Background material on the issues of well-being and related documents can be found on the ONS website.

Chair: Mark Easton

Panel members include:  
Richard Wilkinson (author of The Spirit Level)
Andrew Oswald (member of the advisory committee on well-being to the ONS)
Stephen Hicks (Assistant Deputy Director of Measuring National Well-being, ONS)
David Hulme (Executive Director of the Brooks World Poverty Institute)

This event is free and open to all, however registration is important as places are limited. Please book a place at www.methods.manchester.ac.uk/events/2011-04-04/

RSS Workshop on Measuring Wellbeing

Thursday 17th March: 11.00-17.00
Royal Statistical Society, 12 Errol Street, London EC1Y 8LX

The RSS is hosting a one-day workshop as part of tha national debate on measuring wellbeing.

Thanks to support from the Office for National Statistics there is no charge for attendance but places are strictly limited.

To book your place please email conference@rss.org.uk

Programme:

11:00 - 11:30 Registration
11:30 – 12:40 Session 1 – National Wellbeing Key note speakers and panel session
- Jil Matheson (National Statistician)
- Walter Radermacher (EuroStat)
- Adrian Allsop (ESRC)
12.40 – 13:00 Keynote speech: David Willetts MP
13:00 – 13:45 Lunch
13:45 – 15:00 Session 2 – Data gaps and availability
(series of short presentations followed by table discussion)
- Paul Allin (ONS)
- Andrew Rzepa (Gallup)
- David Caplan (Audit Commission)
15:00 – 15:30 Refreshments
15:30 – 16:30 Session 3 - National wellbeing measures – empowering the citizen
(series of presentations on disseminating the data to the wider audience)
- Juliet Michaelson (New Economics Foundation)
- Andrew Collinge (GLA)
- Andrew Walkingshaw (Timetric)
16:30 – 17:00 Next steps and close

Census Resources for Research

On 12 April 2011, 10.00-4.30
British Library

The event will be an introduction to using census data for UK researchers. Organised in conjunction with the ESRC Census Programme and the UK Data Archive, it will feature presentations on interaction data, samples of anonymised records, aggregate data, boundary data and the ONS Longitudinal Study.

Although the event is open to all, those who are planning to carry out academic research using census data will benefit most. It is not suitable for those interested in genealogy.

This event is free of charge. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.


To find out more and to book a place, please go to: http://www.esds.ac.uk/news/eventdetail.asp?id=2752

What Makes You Happy? Office for National Statistics: Consultation on National Well Being Survey

Tuesday 29th March, 2.00 - 4.00pm,
SRA, 24 – 32 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HX

Booking by email to makiD@the-sra.org.uk

The purpose of this event is to gather together practicing social researchers to explore in some depth the methodological issues facing ONS

For more information http://www.the-sra.org.uk/events.htm