Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Acknowledged
The Government has overseen a remarkable effort pulling together data on Covid 19 from a...
Conclusion
The Government has overseen a remarkable effort pulling together data on Covid 19 from a standing start 12 months ago. It has also made much of this data and analysis available to the public, primarily through the Covid 19 data dashboard. The Government has responded to requests for new data and improved access to evidence, including a request from this Committee to publish SAGE papers. The work of the Office for National Statistics, the Government Statistical Service, and analysts in Local Government and the NHS is commendable. (Paragraph 15) Public communication, behaviour, and trust
Government response summary AI-generated
The government acknowledges the committee's positive observations, reaffirming its commitment to accessible public health information and detailing existing efforts to make data and analysis available, enhance accessibility in communications, and apply best practice in data visualisation.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
The Government has overseen a significant effort pulling together data on COVID-19, and has made much of this data and analysis available to the public, primarily through the coronavirus.gov.uk dashboard hosted by Public Health England. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cabinet Office has brought in additional experts from ONS to lead on the data visualisation of slides for COVID-19 ministerial press briefings, which are subsequently made available to the public via publication on GOV.UK alongside comprehensive statistical notes. These experts have ensured our data visualisation meets accessibility regulations standards, where possible, and applies best practice from the Government Statistical Service. The Roadmap to lift restrictions - ‘COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021’ - set out in detail the analysis and data that underpinned the decision making. This included a 48 page data annex and was accompanied by the full publication of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M) modelling. The data unpinning the slides presented at COVID-19 press conferences is made available to the public via publication on GOV.UK, including reference to source information and statistical notes.
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