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Service to Data Suppliers
We will place the minimum load necessary on data providers. We will
take good care of information provided to us and we will respect the
confidentiality of identifying information.
Service to Users
We will direct our statistical activities to meet the needs of
users, and where practicable, make sure that the information we
provide is equally accessible to the whole community.
Service Standards
We will be polite, helpful and readily identify ourselves. We will
make every reasonable effort to ensure that customers are provided
with information that is timely, relevant and accurate, and we will
endeavour to meet the following targets.
- To respond to written external correspondence within 15 working days of receipt.
- Our response will either be an answer to the issue raised, or a notification that the correspondence is being dealt with.
- Our holding reply will either contain a date by which we intend to provide a full response, or a date by when we will contact
you with a progress update.
If you have a concern about the quality of our service and you cannot resolve the problem with the person you have been dealing
with, you can make a formal complaint. If so please follow our Complaints Procedure.
Complaints
Our commitment
On receipt of your complaint we will
treat it seriously, and in confidence;
- investigate it thoroughly and fairly;
- resolve it promptly, and informally whenever possible;
- find a remedy wherever possible;
- and learn from it to improve our services.
What to do if you have a formal complaint
You can make your complaint, (which will be dealt with
confidentially), in writing, by phone, fax or e-mail. Please provide
as much relevant information as possible so that we can deal with
your case promptly.
If you know which part of our organisation is relevant to your
complaint, or the name, or job title of the appropriate member of
staff, please make your complaint direct to them (referring to this
complaints procedure would be helpful).
If you do not have this information, please contact the
Department
for Business, Innovation and Skills enquiry unit. In such cases you
will find it helpful to follow the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills' standard complaints procedure and details of
this can be at the following web site:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/contact-us/how-to-complain-about-bis
Publication Strategy
Knowing our customers – the content of our resources and products,
and the supporting information we provide will be informed by an
understanding of our customers’ needs.
Informing our users – we will help customers and users to understand
our products by publishing or referring to supporting, background or
educational information and material. We make it easy to identify
which of our products have been branded as ‘National Statistics’ by
marking them with the National Statistics logo. All our National
Statistics products and as many as possible of our other official
statistics products will be released through the UKSA publication
hub, as well as being available through the department's statistics
website and those of our delivery partners, where appropriate.
Web focus – We will use the Web as our main channel for the
dissemination of statistics. We will continue to provide products in
other formats in line with our statutory obligations, and where
there is sufficient demand.
Charging – All the information we publish on-line will be free at
the point of use. Any charges will conform to the rules and
procedures set out in the Protocol.
Revisions and Errors
Revisions
We aim to be open and transparent about any revisions we make to our
National Statistics. Revisions may be caused by the inclusion of
data received after the cut-off point for the original release, or
by a change to coverage or methodology. Occasionally they may also
be due to the correction of errors.
We will achieve this aim by:
- publishing a revisions policy for all our official statistics
subject to scheduled revisions
In addition, we will supply:
- information on any revisions, corrections or changes to any of our National Statistics;
- explanations for revisions, corrections or methodological changes within any of the publications that incorporate them.
Correction of Errors
In the case of revisions that are the consequence of errors or
weaknesses in our procedures or systems, we will follow the
procedures described below.
Announcement of corrections
We will be open and transparent about the need for any unscheduled
corrections caused by errors. In normal circumstances, once we
ascertain the need for a correction, and become aware of its likely
size and direction, we will inform users about our intention to
issue corrections, and when.
In the case of market-sensitive statistics the Departmental Head of
Profession, in conjunction with the National Statistician, will
decide if users’ rights to know about impending corrections must
give way to the requirement not to create market uncertainty. In
such circumstances, and in due course, we will explain the reason
for our chosen course of action.
Dissemination of corrections
Decisions relating to the dissemination of unscheduled corrections
will be made by the relevant Department for Business, Innovation and
Skills statistical personnel in the light of the circumstances
prevailing at the time but in general terms:
For web versions of releases/publications/tables/articles/etc
We will amend the electronic version of the release/publication as
soon as possible after discovery and re-populate the website as soon
as possible with the amended version. If the error is substantial or
significant, we will issue a prominent alert on the website to
notify users about the correction and the reason for its occurrence.
We will also re-issue the release/publication on the Publication
Hub.
Paper versions of releases/publications/tables
Existing paper versions will not normally be recalled. The error
will be corrected in the next edition.
However, if the error is substantial or significant, we will, where
practicable, notify the recipients of paper versions and point them
to the revised version available on the web. If the release or
publication has a long shelf-life, we will consider re-issuing a
revised paper version.
Confidentiality and Access
Arrangements for maintaining the confidentiality of statistical data
The security of relevant systems operated within the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills either conform directly to BS7799
(the British Standard that specifies requirements for establishing,
implementing and documenting Information Security Management
Systems), or follow guidelines that are equivalent to BS7799.
Physical security
All staff working in the Department for Business, Innovation and
Skills and all visitors to its sites require a pass to access the
premises. This pass must be worn at all times. There is no public
access to any part of the organisation where confidential
statistical data may be held. Information classified as “restricted”
or above is kept in locked cabinets only accessible to authorised
staff. Security reviews and inspections are regularly conducted to
ensure that security procedures are followed.
Technical security
We maintain a GSI network. Transmission of micro-data is conducted
either within the GSI network or on encrypted e-mail or password
protected CDs.
Disclosure Security
We use data manipulation and/or statistical disclosure-control
techniques to help ensure confidentiality.
Arrangements for providing controlled access to micro-data
Where micro-data is owned by a department or organisation other than
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, arrangements for
access are in accordance with the Service Level Agreements,
contracts or other confidentiality agreements between the Department
for Business, Innovation and Skills and the data owners.
Access to micro-data collected and owned by the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills is determined by the guarantees
given to the data suppliers or contributors and is in accordance
with statistical legislation covering the collection of these data
or with the appropriate principles for the collection and use of
administrative data.
Data Management
Data Managers
Each statistical dataset maintained by the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills from which National Statistics outputs are
produced will have a specified Data Manager. Their role is to ensure
that the department manages its data resources in accordance with
the best practice principles and standards set out in the National
Statistics Code of Practice and its supporting Protocols; with the
Statements and Policies which form part of this Compliance
Statement; and in accordance with the department’s statutory
obligations.
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