Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what meetings have taken place between officials of his Department and (a) the UK Statistics Authority and (b) the Office for Statistics Regulation since the exchange of letters between his Department and those organisations dated 8 October 2018 on his Department's use of statistics.

Officials from the department have close working relationships and regular dialogue with colleagues from the UK Statistics Authority, and its regulatory arm in the Office for Statistics Regulation, in conduct of their day-to-day activities ensuring delivery of high quality statistical outputs.

The Permanent Secretary, Jonathan Slater, met with Ed Humpherson, Director General for Regulation at the Office for Statistics Regulation, on 16 October 2018, supported by officials including the Deputy Head of Profession for Statistics. They discussed work within the department to ensure that our statistics meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality, and value.

The integrity of statistics is important across all of politics and public life and any statements should be presented in a way that is both factually accurate and placed in the right context.