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UK trade numbers lose national statistics status | UK trade numbers lose national statistics status |
(35 minutes later) | |
The UK's official trade figures have temporarily lost national statistics status following an error by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). | The UK's official trade figures have temporarily lost national statistics status following an error by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). |
UK Statistics Authority chair Sir Andrew Dilnot has written to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirming the suspension. | UK Statistics Authority chair Sir Andrew Dilnot has written to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirming the suspension. |
Earlier this month, HMRC announced that it had accidentally excluded £700m of trade from one oil exporter from the figures it delivers to the ONS. | Earlier this month, HMRC announced that it had accidentally excluded £700m of trade from one oil exporter from the figures it delivers to the ONS. |
The ONS may re-issue the April figures. | The ONS may re-issue the April figures. |
When the trade figures were published on 6 June, they included a note that oil exports had been underestimated by £700m, but that the error had been identified too late to update the bulletin. | When the trade figures were published on 6 June, they included a note that oil exports had been underestimated by £700m, but that the error had been identified too late to update the bulletin. |
The exclusion made up a hefty proportion of the UK's oil exports, making it look as if they had fallen to £2.2bn in the month. | |
The UK Statistics Authority, which is the regulator for government statistics, has also asked HMRC to advise on how it will ensure it avoids such errors in future. | |
The ONS had to delay the release of its January trade data by two days as a result of another error from HMRC. | |
It decided this time that as it would have to delay the release by a week it would be better to release the figures on time but include warnings about the missing data. |