Latest Governmentstatistics Podcast Episodes

Trust in Government Numbers? A Conversation with Professor Sir John Curtice

Truths, Damn Truths, and Government Statistics - March 21, 2022 17:09 - 27 minutes
Sir John Curtice, a long-time Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde, is one of Britain’s foremost polling and public opinion experts.  In this conversation, Sir John discusses the concept of political trust, why trust in government statistics matters, and relevant polling data on...

Regulating Official Statistics with Mary Gregory and Gail Rankin

Truths, Damn Truths, and Government Statistics - February 17, 2022 11:11 - 31 minutes
The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) is the regulatory monitor and evaluator of official statistics and bears responsibility for the Code of Practice for National Statistics.  Importantly, OSR can badge statistics that comply with the Code as “National Statistics.”   This month, Tom Scotto...

Government Statistics and Practice: A Critical Lens with Dr Alex Fenton

Truths, Damn Truths, and Government Statistics - January 21, 2022 10:01 - 23 minutes
This month, Tom Scotto talks to Dr Alex Fenton, a postdoctoral researcher at Humboldt University in Berlin, who takes a critical look at how official government statistics are calculated.   Alex is the author of the recent book:  Official Statistics and the Welfare State: Measuring Poverty in Br...

A Chat with Roger Halliday, Scotland’s Chief Statistician

Truths, Damn Truths, and Government Statistics - December 10, 2021 07:00 - 28 minutes
In this month’s episode, Professor Tom Scotto speaks to Roger Halliday, Scotland’s Chief Statistician about steps in place to protect the Government Statistical Service from politicalisation and the future of National Statistics.  They also gaze out into the 2020s and discuss government statist...

A Chat with Roger Halliday, Scotland’s Chief Statistician

Truths, Damn Truths, and Government Statistics - December 10, 2021 07:00 - 28 minutes
In this month’s episode, Professor Tom Scotto speaks to Roger Halliday, Scotland’s Chief Statistician about steps in place to protect the Government Statistical Service from politicalisation and the future of National Statistics.  They also gaze out into the 2020s and discuss government statisti...

The UK Code of Practice for Statistics - A Guidebook for Trustworthy Statistics?

Truths, Damn Truths, and Government Statistics - November 11, 2021 11:44 - 30 minutes
The Code of Practice for Statistics now is in its second version and sets standards for UK national and other statistics.  In this podcast, Tom Scotto talks to Sandy Stewart, a government statistician in the Scottish Government’s Office of the Chief Economic Advisor about how the code is a tool ...

UK Data Collection Efforts of the 19th Century

Truths, Damn Truths, and Government Statistics - October 12, 2021 14:32 - 37 minutes
Many of the challenges thrown up by early 19th Century efforts at data collection remain relevant to us in an era of omnipresent data. In this inaugural podcast, Tom Scotto talks to Dr. Michela Hulme, a historian, and genealogist who utilizes the UK censuses of the 19th Century in her research. ...