UK – The Government Actuary’s Department’s roughly £1m (€1.5m) national population projections arm has been transferred to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) following recommendations in the Morris Review released in March 2005.

GAD’s five-strong team has moved to the new ONS National Statistics Centre for Demography, which is now responsible for the co-ordination and production of UK population statistics and demographic analysis.

The move has been linked to questions of efficiency and quality outlined in the Review, and which GAD clearly disputed at the time.

“The review believes there is unnecessary fragmentation of demographic expertise and potential efficiency and quality gains from relocation of the work,” said the report.

Meanwhile, GAD stated in its response to the initial consultation feedback that respondents’ perceptions of delays in the production of population projections “do not have any basis in fact”.

A spokesperson told IPE: “The transfer of the demographic team was a recommendation of Sir Derek Morris to make government more efficient.

“GAD will be taking the opportunities presented by the Morris review to concentrate on its core businesses and enhance and develop its services and the relationships it enjoys with a wide range of clients.”

John Healey, financial secretary to the treasury and minister responsible for the ONS has welcomed the transfer, and highlighted the importance of quality and reliable demographic and population data in policy formulation.

“The transfer of this work to the ONS demonstrates a commitment to better coordination and integration of demographic statistics with other data,” said Healey.

In response to allegations of a ‘turf war’ with the ONS, GAD commented: “These transfers enable GAD to focus on its already strong relationships with public sector pension schemes.”

Meanwhile, the ONS told IPE it was “simply responding to the recommendation in the Morris review… Bringing in the population projections will add further benefits”.

The Morris Review also recommended that GAD’s Occupational Pension Scheme Survey be transferred to the Pensions Regulator or, preferably, to the ONS.

This recommendation was made amidst concerns of “low response rates” and the fact that surveys do not form a core GAD function.

An ONS spokesperson stated that ONS, GAD and numerous other interested government departments “have been discussing the future of the Occupational Pension Scheme Survey”.

GAD is due to publish the results of the 2005 survey in May/June, after which an announcement will be made about the future arrangements for the surveys.

According to the Morris Review, the Occupational Pension Scheme Survey made up 2% of GAD income between 2003/2004. Population projections made up 7%. Its biggest income was from pensions in the public sector (32%), overseas (20%) and PPP/PFI and machinery of government changes (11%).

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