11.2 Release schedule#
Many (or most) NSO are committed to making statistical data available to the public according to a pre-defined release schedule (calendar). This is a significant commitment as the release calendar entails that key indicators and datasets have to be released on a given date. Advance release calendars (this term is more usual than schedule) are important for the prevention of manipulation of release dates for political purposes. In addition, reporting by NSOs to international monitoring agencies often follows specific reporting requirements and formats to satisfy national, regional and international reporting. A release calendar is thus a fundamental component and vital for the credibility of an NSO and should be a central part of an NSOs statistical website.
As part of a release schedule an NSO should ensure the following (from the United Kingdom Code of Practice for statistics) (🔗):
Organizations should commit to releasing their statistics openly and transparently which promotes public confidence.
The release of both regular and ad hoc official statistics should be pre-announced through a 12-month release schedule, giving a specific release date at least four weeks in advance where practicable.
Changes to pre-announced release dates or times should be agreed upon by the chief statistician/Head of Profession for Statistics. Any changes should be announced promptly, explaining the reasons for the change.
Access to statistics before their public release should be limited to those involved in the production of the statistics and the preparation of the release, and for quality assurance and operational purposes. Accurate records of those who have access before they are finalised should be maintained.
If the NSO grants access to their statistics ahead of their publication, such pre-release access should be restricted to few participants in line with international recommendations on pre-release access in line with the pre-release access rules and principles. The details of that granted access should be recorded, together with clear justifications for the access. No indication of the results should be made public, and the statistics should not be given to any other party without prior permission for access. The list of recipients should be reviewed regularly and kept to a minimum.
Statistics and data should be released on a timely basis and at intervals that meet users’ needs as far as practicable. The statistics should be released as soon as they are considered ready, under the guidance of the chief statistician/Head of Profession for Statistics.
Statistics should be released to all users according to a pre-announced schedule.
The name and contact information of the lead statistician or analyst responsible for production should be included in the published statistics.
Policy, press, or ministerial statements referring to official statistics should be issued separately from, and contain a prominent link to, the source statistics. The statements should meet basic professional standards of statistical presentation, including accuracy, clarity and impartiality. The lead statistician or analyst should advise on the appropriate use of the statistics within these statements.
Scheduled revisions or unscheduled corrections to the statistics and data should be released as soon as practicable. The changes should be handled transparently in line with a published policy.