FOI Reference: FOI/2022/4385
You asked
Can you please tell me the following?
(1) When was your organisation's framework agreement last reviewed or updated?
(2) Do you carry out impact assessments before introducing a new policy or regulation?
(3) Do you keep a register of interests for board members or senior figures, and if so, can you please supply me with a copy of the latest version?
(4) Do you keep a register of hospitality/gifts received by board members or senior figures, and if so, can you also supply me with data for the last three years?
We said
Thank you for your request.
When was your organisation's framework agreement last reviewed or updated?
The UK Statistics Authority is a non-ministerial department that reports directly to Parliament. Our statutory functions and objective are laid out in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. Our strategic objectives are set in the following link to our 'Statistics for the Public Good' strategy, which was launched in 2020. The Code of Practice for Statistics also provides further information about our functions and objectives.
A Memorandum sets out an agreed framework for cooperation between the Cabinet Office and the UK Statistics Authority. This was agreed in April 2020, and can be accessed via the following link: Memorandum of Understanding between Cabinet Office and the UK Statistics Authority.
Do you carry out impact assessments before introducing a new policy or regulation?
ONS conduct a variety of impact assessments before commencing new policies or projects, and the type of impact assessment is dependent on the project. There are various impact assessments that can be undertaken by public authorities based on the proposed project. For example, where a public authority intends to process a large amount of personal data, they will likely undertake a Data Protection Impact Assessment, as required under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The assessment will establish the necessity and proportionality of the processing and establish any risks associated with the processing and the mitigations that will be applied to those risks.
Some examples of impact assessments produced by ONS are provided here:
Do you keep a register of interests for board members or senior figures, and if so, can you please supply me with a copy of the latest version?
Please see the link to the Board Register of Interest on the Authority website
The Register is updated annually as part of the process for the Annual Report and Accounts. Page 81 of the Annual Report and Accounts refers to it.
Do you keep a register of hospitality/gifts received by board members or senior figures, and if so, can you also supply me with data for the last three years?
Please see our webpage containing publications on hospitality received.