Showcasing administrative data for the public good: reflections from the Royal Statistical Society Conference 2025

Earlier this month, ADR UK and ADR Scotland attended the Royal Statistical Society Conference in Edinburgh. The conference brought together the international statistics and data science community to exchange knowledge. Here are some reflections from our representatives at the conference.

Evidence-based insights for more effective policy

Dr Bogusia Wojciechowska, Senior Research Manager, ADR UK

At this year’s Royal Statistical Society Conference, we were thrilled to be part of the ‘Official Statistics and Public Policy’ track, sharing how administrative data is being harnessed to generate insights that inform and improve public policy.

Inspired by the interest shown at our booth at last year’s conference, I submitted an abstract to showcase the work of ADR UK and our funded research fellows. The session aimed to demonstrate how linking and analysing administrative data can lead to more targeted, effective, and equitable policies.

Before diving into the presentations, I asked for a quick show of hands to get a sense of our audience. It was encouraging to see a near 50/50 split between academics and government representatives, with a few attendees from the voluntary and community sector. Many were unfamiliar with ADR UK, which made it an exciting opportunity to introduce our mission, flagship datasets, and training resources.

The heart of the session was a panel of three ADR UK Research Fellows, each presenting their work and its policy relevance:

• Dr Ezgi Kaya, Senior Lecturer in Economics at Cardiff University, shared findings from her research using the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) linked to 2011 Census dataset. Her work compares the labour market outcomes of immigrant workers and those born in the UK, offering new insights into how different groups fare in terms of earnings and employment. She collaborated with a project advisory board of representatives from the voluntary and community sector, research organisations and trade unions. These findings are helping to inform debates around immigration and workforce planning.
• Dr Damian Whittard, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of the West of England, presented his analysis of labour market trends in Great Britain using the ASHE linked to PAYE and Self-Assessment dataset. His work highlights regional disparities and long-term shifts in employment patterns, providing valuable evidence for economic development strategies. Through the ASHE linked to 2011 Census dataset, Damian also explored the transition to the green economy. His work shows that while green jobs offer a pay premium and can help narrow some inter-occupation pay gaps, they remain marked by gender and ethnic inequalities - highlighting the urgent need for policies that align net-zero goals with equity in the labour market. Throughout his research he has engaged with key stakeholders, such as representatives from the UK Government’s Net Zero Strategy, local government, charities and businesses.
• Dr Angela Sorsby, Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Sheffield, presented her research on the impact of ethnicity and gender on outcomes of sentences served in the community. Her findings are contributing to discussions on fairness and equity in the criminal justice system, through her collaboration with Revolving Doors and the Prison Reform Trust, as well as her appointment to the Crown Prosecution Service’s Disproportionality Advisory Group.

To encourage dialogue, our session included a Q&A facilitated by ADR UK’s Senior Research & Impact Manager, Dr Lola Brookes. The discussion was lively and thought-provoking, with questions ranging from data access and linkage challenges to how researchers can better engage policymakers.

The session underscored the value of administrative data in shaping policies that are grounded in evidence and responsive to societal needs. It also highlighted the importance of collaboration between academia, government, and the voluntary and community sector.

We’re grateful to the Royal Statistical Society for the opportunity to share our work and connect with others passionate about data for public good, and we look forward to next year’s conference in Bournemouth.

If you’re interested in learning more about ADR UK, our datasets, or upcoming funding opportunities, sign up to our mailing list.

Shining a light on administrative data

Sarah Thomson, ADR Scotland Engagement and Impact Team

I had the pleasure of chairing the ADR Scotland session titled Bridging the evidence gap: how to use the wealth of public sector data to transform policymaking​. Professor Iain Atherton, Edinburgh Napier University and research lead for the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research, kicked off the session with an introduction to the ADR Scotland programme and the value of using linkable administrative data to provide rich policy insights. Iain provided a clear and compelling explanation of how linking Nursing and Midwifery Council data to Census data will help support a better understanding of our nursing workforce. 

Keeping with the nursing theme, Justine Menzies, a principal analyst in the Scottish Government shared her experiences of using a wide range of linked administrative data to evaluate the Family Nurse Partnership initiative in Scotland. Justine highlighted the benefits of evaluating interventions using data linkage and a natural experiment approach. These benefits include a cost-effective evaluation method (compared to a randomised control trial), and the ability to measure positive outcomes for those receiving the interventions. The session also explored challenges in data access and future opportunities to support decisions around early intervention initiatives. 

The session participants were asked to share a word that springs to mind when thinking of data linkage or administrative data. This ranged from ‘complicated’ to ‘useful’, ‘patchy’ to ‘exciting’, and ‘messy’ to ‘the future’. The presentations and interactive element allowed discussions to cover a wide range of topics, from data access through to opportunities for research to impact policy decisions.

Administrative data was also a strong theme within the conference, with a number of presentations and workshops on this theme. These included a presentation from Research Data Scotland on accessing data in Scotland, and a panel discussion with Chief Statisticians, which highlighted the value of administrative data to complement survey data and provide rich insights at a time of fiscal constraints. Alongside sharing ideas on innovative methods, the Royal Statistical Society Conference importantly shone a light on the art of communicating evidence well, with keynote speaker David McCandless arguing that ‘Data is Beautiful’ as he explained the power of succinct and visual techniques to tell impactful stories.