The role of the census in public policy-making: information practices of policy makers

Lynn Killick, Prof Alistair Duff, Prof Hazel Hall & Prof Mark Deakin@sherpalynn @ingsocproject

ONCE UPON A TIME

The role of the census in public policy-making: information practices of policy makers

@sherpalynn

So why the census?

• The ‘foundation’ for government statistics

• The ‘anchor’ to compare other data sources against

And who are the policy makers?

• Regulators• Politicians• Council Officials• Civil Servants• Non-executives• Third sector workers

approach

Content Analysis• Longitudinal analysis

of policy documents• First phase complete,

documents published by Scottish Government for 2014

• Next phase will apply coding schedule to 2015 documents

• Using NVivo

Semi-structured interviews• Interviews not yet complete• 19 concluded to date

covering all target areas• Emerging results at this

stage

Which documents?

• Equality Impact Assessments (EQIA’s)– Documents that public bodies must

publish– Relate to any policy decision– Should detail all evidence consulted– Should detail any detrimental impact or

positive impact

• Scottish Government EQIA’s reviewed

approach

Caveats• The census not always

an appropriate evidence source

• Unlikely to be the only source of evidence

• First 2011 Census results released in December 2013

Results• Few documents made

reference to the census• One document referred to a

specific statistic emerging from the census

• No evidence derived from small area data was referred to or mentioned directly

approach

• References to the census appeared to be a caught in a general statement

• No confidence that census data beyond the national headlines is accessed

• Not all policy decisions need census data

• Not all relevant reports would be available

©NHSScotland

Small area data not included….

approach

Interviews • Recorded using iPad x 2• Transcribed using Nvivo• Average length of

interview 45 minutes• Confidentiality key – If

Edinburgh is a village, Scotland is a very small town

• First interview February• Last interview?

Without it we couldn’t demonstrate we were doing our job… it is our only measure of progress

We keep trying to push our members to use it, but

you know ‘3 clicks and we’re out’ it is just too

complicated

In the wrong hands it is dangerous, and there are

a lot of wrong hands

I’ve never been asked for more detailed information

Those assessments?, they are a bit of pain to be honest

Evidence in policy making? Evidence is probably an inconvenient truth

approach

Results Results• Majority of users, use the

census at a superficial level• Those who use the small

area data tend to rely on third party statisticians

• A reluctance to take action identified

• Regulators and third party organisations placed more value on the census

• Third party organisations and local authority most likely to use small area data

• Small area data used as an influencing tool

Key findingsThe data is difficult to navigate –

easy to look at top level informationThe place of census data as a

benchmark/foundation is acceptedConcerns that other initiatives

(PREVENT) will affect the census and in turn the use of census data

Policy makers lack the ????? to apply census data to their work

References

Baffour, B., King, T., & Valente, P. (2013). The modern census: evolution, examples and evaluation. International Statistical Review, 81(3), 407–425. doi:10.1111/insr.12036

Boyle, P., & Dorling, D. (2004). Guest editorial: the 2001 UK census: remarkable resource or bygone legacy of the “pencil and paper era”? Area, 36, 101–110. doi:10.1111/j.0004-0894.2004.00207.x

The Cabinet Office, HM Government (2012). The Civil Service Reform Plan Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/305148/Civil-

Service-Reform-Plan-final.pdfChertov, O., & Aleksandrova, M. (2013). Using association rules for searching levers of influence in

census data. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 73, 475–478. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.02.079

Coleman, D. (2013). The twilight of the census. Population and development Review, 8, 334–351. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1728-4457.2013.00568.x/abstract

Cullen, R. (2009). Culture, identity and information privacy in the age of digital government. Online Information Review, 33(3), 405–421. doi:10.1108/14684520910969871

Dugmore, K., Furness, P., Leventhal, B., & Moy, C. (2011). Beyond the 2011 census in the United Kingdom: with an international perspective. International Journal of Market Research.

doi:10.2501/IJMR-53-5-619-650

References

Feather, J. (2013). The information society: a study of continuity and change (6th ed.). London: Facet Publishing.

Foreman, J., & Thomson L. (2009) Government information literacy in the "century of information". Journal of Information Literacy, 3(2), 64-72

Heeney, C. (2012). Breaching the contract? Privacy and the UK Census. The Information Society. doi:10.1080/01972243.2012.709479

Kauhanen-Simanainen, A. (2007). Corporate literacy: discovering the senses of the organisation. Oxford

National Audit Office (2013). Building capability in the Senior Civil Service to meet today's challenges, Report by the Controller and Auditor General. London. The Stationery Office (HC 129) Retrieved from

http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/10167-001-Full-Report.pdfSimpson, S., & Dorling, D. (1994). Those missing millions: implications for social statistics of non-

response to the 1991 Census. Journal of Social Policy. Retrieved from http://journals.cambridge.org/production/action/cjoGetFulltext?fulltextid=3322620

Talbot, C., & Talbot, C. (2014). Sir Humphrey and the professors: What does Whitehall want from academics?.

White, I. (2009). The 2011 census taking shape: methodological and technological developments. Population Trends, (136), 64–72. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19606600

HAPPY EVER AFTER?

@sherpalynnwww.informingthegoodsociety.com

@ingsocproject