My department, the Office for National Statistics, measures and reports on the state of the economy and society, a pivotal role. Important stakeholders, including the Bank of England and the Treasury, rely heavily on our statistics, so quality is a primary concern.
Of course we must also provide value for money to the taxpayers who fund us and not place an unnecessary burden on the people and companies who provide our data. That is why I have a programme to reduce costs by improving the efficiency of our operations and relocating jobs out of London.
