HM General Register House
2 Princes Street
Edinburgh EH1 3YY
www.nrscotland.gov.uk
Our ref: FoI/202000091955
J Grove
Email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
23 October 2020
Dear Mr Grove,
Request under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA)
Thank you for your request of 27 September 2020 under the Freedom of Information
(Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA).
Your request
You asked for:
“What is the recorded date (on NRS systems) when the decision was made to report
monthly mortality statistics for “deaths associated with COVID-19" rather than weekly
statistics?”
Response to your request
The answer to your question is that National Records of Scotland (NRS) continues to
report a weekly figure on deaths involving COVID-19. These data can be found in
the SG ‘4 Harms’ website alongside other relevant information here:
https://data.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/detail.html
NRS also continues to publish a detailed analysis of COVID-19 related deaths on a
monthly basis – this product also provides the weekly data.
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to provide you with information if it is
already reasonably accessible to you.
In accordance with the Official Statistics Code of Practice, decisions on frequency of
publication are made by the Head of Profession (Statistics). National Records of
Scotland consulted with users of the weekly publication, including Scottish
Government. NRS concluded that due to the thankfully low number of weekly
deaths, user needs would be well met through the update to the SG website and the
NRS monthly publication. The last weekly NRS publication was released on 12
August 2020.
NRS will consider re-introducing a weekly publication on their website should there
be any significant changes in the spread or impact of COVID-19.
Your right to request a review
If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry
out an internal review of the response, by writing to:
Information Governance Team
National Records of Scotland
Ladywell House
Ladywell Road
Edinburgh
EH12 7TF
Email
: xxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and
should be made within 40 working days from the date when you received this letter.
We will complete the review and tell you the result, within 20 working days from the
date when we receive your review request.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal
to the Scottish Information Commissioner. More detailed information on your rights
is available on the Commissioner’s website at:
http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Unhappywiththeresponse/Appealingto
Commissioner.aspx Yours sincerely,
Alan Ferrier
Head of Demographic Statistics
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