Statistics Agency
| Statistics Agency | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Crown statutory agency |
| Formed | 1 July 1914 |
| Central Office |
Units 1-6 Herbert Matthews Government Offices North Kingsbury, CENT |
| Employees | 1,250 |
| Annual budget | £6 million |
| Senior executive | |
| Government Statistician | Des Parata |
The Statistics Agency is the national statistical service of New Ingerland. A crown statutory agency, the service is headed by the Government Statistician, who is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Parliament of New Ingerland. The function of the service includes not only the collection of statistics generally and the taking of the census, but also the publishing of statistical data on demographic and economic matters. These finding are published annually in the Official Yearbook of New Ingerland.
As a crown statutory agency, the agency is independent of ministerial control, with the setting of the budget and appointment of senior executives the purview of the Parliament alone. The functions and powers of the service are defined in the Census and Statistics Act[1]. The head of the service is known as the Government Statistician, a position currently held by Des Parata.
History
Function and powers
National Census
First and foremost, the service is responsible for conducting and publishing the census[2], which is held every five years (the most recent being 2020). The census is considered to be the one of the most important civic responsibilities in New Ingerland, and participation is mandatory for all citizens and permanent residents. The service deploys 1,000 field officers to deliver census forms and collect them in the days after census night. The officers also assist those unable to complete the census themselves owing to disability or illiteracy. The findings are usually published one year after the census is conducted, with the findings presented to the King in a special report.
Other functions
In addition, the Statistics Agency also conducts surveys across a number of subject areas, with these publications essential for short and medium term government policy decisions. The surveys measure economic indicators such as inflation, consumer confidence, bank lending, unemployment and trade balance of payments. Demographically, the service regularly gathers information on matters such as population growth, crime rates, rates of infectious diseases, and education participation.
Government Statistician
The Census and Statistics Act authorises the King to appoint a Government Statistician, who is the head of the Statistics Agency. The Government Statistician is charged with the preparation for the taking and collecting of the Census, as well as carrying out all the necessary duties concerned with the gathering and publishing of demographic and economic statistics.
The position of Government Statistician was first filled on the 4 July 1870, when the service came into being. The first appointment to the position was Archibald Slater, who served for ten years until his retirement in July 1880. The current Government Statistician is Des Parata, who was appointed by the King in July 2020.