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Scottish Statistics Plan
Main Targets for 2006/07

Our targets for the coming year are:

Census

Plan and implement a development programme towards a high quality Census in 2011.

• Conduct and evaluate the 2006 Scottish Census Test to appraise options for delivery and collection methods, form layout, question design and data processing.
  • Complete all operational and data capture tasks for the 2006 Census Test and de-brief field staff.
  • Evaluate the data collection methods, other fieldwork matters (including the in-house payroll system), data capture, follow-up survey, and statistics and geography aspects.
  • Progress the data capture and evaluation tasks of the 2006 Test.

  • Take forward recommendations from 2006 Census Test evaluation into enumeration strategies for 2011.

• Continue planning for a 2011 Census, including working with the 2 other UK Census Departmens in a way that will deliver a Census that meets both Scottish needs and key United Kingdom (UK) needs while providing good value for money.
  • Progress question development, preparations for statistical analysis and geography strategy, including work on disclosure con, edit and imputation. 
  • Develop and implement strategies for communication and community involvement, fostering trust and understanding of why the Census is important.
  • Investigate the IT aspects of providing an online completion Channel.
  • Ensure that Scottish requirements are taken into account in the procurement of public interface, operational intelligence data capture and allied services for the 2009 Rehearsal and 2011 Census and participate fully in the choice of suppliers.
  • Maintain Geographic information serviceincluding the timely producuctio and issue of geograpy products and metadata. 
  • Develop and manage governance of the 2011 Census programme (within GROS and with other census departments).
  • Develop a business case for the 2011 Census, achieving quality and value for money goals.

Demography

Provide the demographic context and information for the sound government of Scotland.

• Collect and maintain the records (e.g. vital events and the National Health Service Central Register (NHSCR)) that are the foundation for the information we provide, in a way that is consistent with best practice in the collection, storage and archiving of information.
  • Ensure that information on all vital events registered in 2006 is received and processed in line with stated performance targets and publication deadlines.
  • Develop, using appropriate software, an efficient and user friendly replacement for the current vital events IT system.
  • Run the NHS Central Register on behalf of NHS Scotland, processing all health service and medical research updates in line with stated performance targets.
  • Develop the NHSCR to provide the data spine for the Citizen’s Account index. 
  • Represent GROS interests on addressing initiatives, including the Definitive National Address Project and Assessors’ Portal.
• Publish the Registrar General’s Annual Report and other demographic data and analyses about Scotland to meet customer needs and National Statistics Code of Practice standards, and inform and foster debate on demographic issues in the Scottish Executive (SE) and more widely.
  • Produce the following regular outputs:
    • National and sub-national population estimates - April 2006
    • Projection of number of households - May 2006
    • Settlement population estimates - June 2006
    • Marital status estimate - June 2006
    • Registrar General's Annual Review - July 2006
    • Life expectancy for administrative areas - September 2006
    • Small area population estimates - October 2006 

    • Estimates of number of households - December 2006

  • Review the methodology for sub-national population projections and household projections;  develop small area household estimates, based on information from Council Tax systems; and, through close working with colleagues in other UK statistical offices, review the sources for migration statisticswith particular reference to international migration. 
  • Meet all customer requests for GROS statistical data within stated timescale; provide appropriate advice and analysis to support users, through liaison with key users, user groups, publication in journals and presentations.
  • Disseminate agreed statistical outputs via the web and other means; review GROS and Scotland's Census Results OnLine (SCROL) websites to ensure they serve users well.

Review, pilot and where possible implement the options for meeting user needs for the kind of information normally collected in a Census, from alternative sources such as administrative records or surveys.

• Continue to investigate the potential usefulness of a wider range of administrative and survey sources in supporting and enhancing key products. 
  • Produce reports on School Age Children (updated with 2005 School Census data), Child Benefit data, 2001 Electoral Register, update on Driving Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) vehicle registration data.

  • Develop work on further sources.

• Manage GROS work on data matching projects in compliance with current legislation and National Statistics protocols and ensure lessons are learned. 
  • Complete the development of the Scottish Longitudinal Study (SLS) database in conjunction with SLS team, promote and develop use of the data. 
  • Carry out experimental data matching work.