First Special Report - Government transparency and accountability during Covid 19: The data underpinning decisions: Government’s response to the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2019–21

This is the government's response, published 25 May 2021.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government responds point by point, agreeing with some aims but stating that it "does not agree that a change is necessary to the Ministerial Code" and, on several recommendations, referring to earlier letters or existing practice.

• On publishing data behind quoted statistics, it is "committed to transparency" and "will endeavour to publish all statistics and underlying data when referenced publicly", in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
• It disagrees with strengthening the Ministerial Code, stating that there will be occasions where it is in the public interest to use "emerging information", and it points to the existing wording that Ministers should be "mindful" of good practice.
• On the health data review, it agrees cross-organisational working matters and will "consider the merits of conducting a broader review" once the draft Data Strategy and other work are complete. It has agreed that the Office for Statistics Regulation will carry out a lessons learned exercise "once the immediate challenges of pandemic response have passed".
• It states that the Prime Minister confirmed on 12 May a statutory public inquiry that "will begin its work in spring 2022".

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error