FOI Reference: FOI/2022/4320
You asked
Please disclose under Freedom of Information the following:
1) Total cost of international engagement in 2021/22
2) Total budget for international engagement in 2022/23
We said
Thank you for your request.
The UK statistical system operates within a global context of international classifications, obligations, standards and guidance. International engagement is essential if the Office for National Statistics and the UK Statistics Authority are to work effectively within this context.
Much of this work is coordinated by dedicated international relations and international development teams. The international development team works with Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded countries to build statistical capacity worldwide. Details of the overall strategy for international development, as well as recent development projects, can be found at: https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/publication/statistics-for-the-global-good-high-quality-statistics-to-improve-lives-globally/pages/1/.
However, there are many other teams across the office with an international element to their work. This is part of our UKSA international strategy, Statistics for the Global Good, which recognises the importance of shaping international standards, influencing global agendas and providing internationally comparable data. The full strategy can be found at: https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/publication/statistics-for-the-global-good/.
As international engagement is part of business as usual for a number of different teams, there is no single budget for international work. Therefore, calculating the exact cost of international engagement in 2021/22 and an overall budget for 2022/23 is not possible.