How to react when the independence of statisticians and the integrity of statistics are endangered?

Abstract

There are many examples in the contemporary history of official statistics where statistical integrity has been undermined and the independence of official statisticians threatened. As well as in the preparation of statistical programmes, these threats may also concern the collection and processing of data or the dissemination and analysis of aggregated data. Until recently there has been no clear introduction of the concept of independence in official and legal texts, contrary to what happened with the issues of confidentiality. The first official international text recognising the importance of independence was the Fundamental Principles for Official Statistics adopted by the UN Statistical Commission in 1994. Since then, all official statisticians and their stakeholders have progressively become fully aware of the importance of the UN Fundamental Principles and recognised the professional value of the concept of independence; several new approaches, legal or pragmatic, have been adopted such as the implementation of Codes of Good Practices, descriptive or prescriptive, organisation of peer reviews, or more recently the creation of Independent Authorities to guarantee statistical integrity (such as in the United Kingdom and France). The profession itself has also proposed responses to maintain statistical integrity in the face of political pressures or pressures coming from different lobbies. In spite of these responses, many problems remain on the agenda: while both governmental institutions and scientific nongovernment organisations (NGOs) have been prolific for years in producing declarations and papers on "good practices", in case of a serious attack on the independence of statistics or use of "bad practices", most institutions, official or non-governmental, have had difficulties in reacting appropriately and rapidly. Nevertheless there are mechanisms to do so. Further, international institutions can provide guidance(such as through the data dissemination initiatives promulgated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)). The International Statistical Institute(ISI) some years ago re-established the Committee on Professional Ethics, which has the mandate to alert the ISI Executive Committee on questions raised by the statistical profession and to propose, should the occasion arise, opinions and comments on particular cases where the integrity of statistics has been questioned.