ONS website relaunch
Dear Office for National Statistics,
Please send me copies of all exchanges, including emails, in the last year between any two or more of the head of the ONS, the national statistician and members of the UKSA board, relating to the ONS website that was relaunched in August 2011. Please include meeting notes where two or more of these people were present.
Yours faithfully,
Simon Briscoe
Dear Office for National Statistics,
Do you know when you might be able to reply to this request?
Yours faithfully,
Simon Briscoe
Our Reference: FOI01285/Briscoe/QE1
Thank you for your email requesting information correspondence relating to
the ONS website that was relaunched in August 2011. I am writing to
confirm that the Office for National Statistics has now completed its
search for the information which you requested and a copy of the
information is enclosed.
The enclosed spreadsheet represents raw copies of the feedback we have had
on the new website.
The only thing it does not provide is an ONS summary but our external
statements on the website effectively do this by categorising and
summarising the broad issues.
[1]http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/media-centre/s...
[2]http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/media-centre/s...
You have the right to have this response to your freedom of information
request reviewed internally by an internal review process and, if you
remain unhappy with the decision, by the Information Commissioner. If you
would like to have the decision reviewed please write to Dennis Roberts,
Office for National Statistics, Room 1214, Government Buildings, Cardiff
Road, Newport, Gwent, NP10 8XG.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Kind regards,
Paul Wearn LLB (Hons)
Legal Services
Office for National Statistics
For the latest data on the economy and society consult National Statistics
at http://www.ons.gov.uk
Legal Disclaimer : Any views expressed by the sender of this message are
not necessarily those of the Office for National Statistics
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References
Visible links
1. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/media-centre/s...
2. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/media-centre/s...
Dear Paul Wearn,
You have sent the wrong attachment in making this response. I look forward to seeing the right one!
Yours sincerely,
Simon Briscoe
Our Reference: FOI01285/Briscoe/QE1
Thank you for your email requesting information correspondence relating to
the ONS website that was relaunched in August 2011. I am writing to
confirm that the Office for National Statistics has now completed its
search for the information which you requested and a copy of the
information is attached.
You have the right to have this response to your freedom of information
request reviewed internally by an internal review process and, if you
remain unhappy with the decision, by the Information Commissioner. If you
would like to have the decision reviewed please write to Dennis Roberts,
Office for National Statistics, Room 1214, Government Buildings, Cardiff
Road, Newport, Gwent, NP10 8XG.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact me. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Kind regards,
Paul Wearn LLB (Hons)
Legal Services
Office for National Statistics
For the latest data on the economy and society consult National Statistics
at http://www.ons.gov.uk
Legal Disclaimer : Any views expressed by the sender of this message are
not necessarily those of the Office for National Statistics
*********************************************************************************
Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.
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Simon Briscoe left an annotation ()
The response from the ONS was clearly (to my mind) missing some information. I queried that and was sent the following by email. The minutes give the impression that the ONS/UKSA is not taking the issue very seriously!
18/11/11
---------------------------------
The information provided to you supplements minutes in the public domain, specifically the minutes of the Authority Board in March, April, May, July and September 2011. These are all available at http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/ab...
I have pasted the relevant extracts below. I hope this helps,
Best wishes
March 2011
4. Reports from Authority Committee Chairs
Office for National Statistics Board (ONS)
Lord Rowe-Beddoe reported on the meeting of the ONS Board held on 11 March 2011. The meeting had considered a report from the Director General of ONS and had reviewed management and financial information. The meeting was concerned to learn of difficulties which the web development programme was encountering and the Board had requested that a report be produced for the next meeting.
April 2011
6. Update on ONS Web Development Programme
Mr Penneck advised the meeting that he had announced on 7 April that the launch of the new ONS website had been postponed to 28 August because of technical difficulties. The meeting was disappointed to learn of these developments and agreed that the ONS Board should consider what lessons might be learned.
May 2011
4. Reports from Authority Committee Chairs
Office for National Statistics Board (ONS)
Lord Rowe-Beddoe reported on the meeting of the ONS Board held on 13 May 2011. The meeting had considered a report from the Director General of ONS and had reviewed risks and progress with major programmes and projects. The Director General of ONS had also reported on the circumstances that had led to this delay of the launch of the new ONS website, which would now be launched at the end of August.
July 2011
ONS Website Development Programme [SA(11)50]
6.1 Mr Auckbarally presented an overview of the functionality of the new ONS website which would be launched on 28 August. The website would continue to be maintained and enhanced following its launch.
6.2 All non-market sensitive releases would be released promptly at 09:30 a.m., and all key figures on market sensitive releases (where additional security controls were required) would similarly be released instantaneously at 09:30 a.m., with the full statistical bulletin published within one minute after that.
6.3 The Authority noted these developments and confirmed that it was content with the proposed arrangements for ONS releases at 09:30 a.m.
September 2011
7. ONS Website
The meeting considered the problems that had been experienced by users of the new ONS website. These included broken links, problems with downloading time series data and in readily accessing required statistics. Following discussion, it was agreed that the Authority would continue to monitor closely the programme of improvements to the website that ONS had undertaken to deliver.