Welsh Statistical Liaison Committee, 2 October 2025: minutes

Philip Barlow (PB), Pembrokeshire Coast National Park 

Lee Clarke (LC), Cardiff County Council

Rachael Clifford (RC), Medr

Peter Davies (PD), Senedd Commission

Vicki Doyle (VD), Caerphilly County Borough Council

Janine Edwards (JE), North Wales Regional Partnership Board

Andre Fedeli (AF), Public Health Wales

Manon Fflur Pritchard (MFP), Cyngor Gwynedd

Tyla Fuller (TF), Estyn

Bryn Jeffries (BJ), Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Hefin Jones (HJ), Cymen

Paul Jones (PJ), Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council

Richard Jones (RJ), Monmouthshire County Council

Geeta Kerai (GK), Office for National Statistics (ONS) Local

Steve King (SK), Swansea City and County Council

Henry Knowles (HK), Welsh Government

Anja Knox (AK), Welsh Government

Morgan Lowden (ML), Isle of Anglesey County Council

Geraint Morgan (GM), Powys County Council

Brenna Organ (BO), Data Cymru

Lara Phelan (LP), ONS

Andreas Pieris-Plumley (APP), Vale of Glamorgan Council

Hayley Randall (HR), Data Cymru

Lesley Rees (LR), Carmarthenshire County Council

Elaine Smith (ES), Wrexham County Borough Council

Caitlin Theodorou (CT), Ceredigion County Council

Alwyn Williams (AW), Isle of Anglesey County Council

Megan Williams (MW), Welsh Government

Andy Wilson (AWi), Torfaen County Borough Council

Lowri Wyn Morton (LWM), Cyngor Gwynedd

Speakers

Nicole Burchill (NB), Welsh Government

Richard Davies (RD), Welsh Government

Stephanie Howarth (SH), Welsh Government

Nia Jones (NJ), Welsh Government

Jay Lindop (JL), ONS

Martin Parry (MP), Welsh Government

Gowan Watkins (GW), Welsh Government

Minute taker

Jasmine Sears, Welsh Government

Apologies

Brett Davis, South Wales Police 

Eleri James, Welsh Language Commissioner

Leanne John, Swansea Council

Kate Jones, HM Prison and Probation Service in Wales

Jonathan Radcliffe, Sport Wales

Neil Townsend, ONS

Nia Wyn Vaughan, Cyngor Gwynedd

The presentation slides have been published online.

The arrangements for simultaneous translation in the meeting were explained and introductions were given for any new attendees.

No comments on the minutes from the previous meeting. The previous actions were all complete.

A previous action was to pass on feedback about the homelessness seminar only being in person so some members were unable to take part. The team will take this into consideration for future events. The housing statistics team has published the presentations from the housing information group seminar (homelessness).

Statistics Wales Quarterly update (Stephanie Howarth, Welsh Government)

See the published newsletter for more information

SH gave a summary of the main points of the newsletter, including the launch of the new StatsWales platform and a request for feedback from the fire statistics team on the grassland fires and deliberate fires outputs.

Discussion

JE asked which regions are going to be used for the regional GDP estimates, with the suggestion that it would be useful to have more data for sub regional areas in Wales. SH asked if the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) are suitable and will check what geographies are used for the regional GDP estimates.

Action 1: SH to ask the economic statistics team which geographies are used for GVA and regional GDP statistics.

JE asked about expected updates to housing and GP datasets not being published. SH responded that data collection challenges were likely the cause and will pass on feedback to the housing team to provide a date for expected updates to these datasets.

Demography update (Martin Parry, Welsh Government)

See the published newsletter for more information

MP gave a summary of the main points of the newsletter, which included new population estimates for mid-2024 for Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. No questions or comments were received on the update.

Data Cymru update (Hayley Randall, Data Cymru) 

For more information, see the Data Cymru update.

HR gave a summary of the Data Cymru update, including the integration between WLGA and Data Cymru, national resident survey updates and the Public Services Boards Joint dashboard on well-being data.

Discussion

ES asked when benchmarking Wales website would be updated as there is currently outdated data on the site. HR responded that the website should be up to date, and this would be checked. HR will follow up with ES.

Action 2: HR to check benchmarking Wales website is updated and follow up with ES.

RD presented slides on the new StatsWales service which went live on 26 September. RD explained the process of publishers building the datasets, the processes for translation of metadata and the capability of the new StatsWales handling large datasets. 

Then NB demonstrated how to use the new StatsWales service to filter and download datasets. NB also demonstrated how to view the metadata for each dataset.

RD noted that all new data will only be published to the new service, however, the old service will still be viewable during the transition period from the old service to the new service. SH added that old service will likely close to users around January 2026, when the current contract ends. RD continued that the service is still in a development phase and stated the importance of feedback to improve the service.

Discussion

JE stated that not having a search function on the new service makes it difficult to find the correct datasets. JE also commented on the accessibility of the new site and concerns about users struggling to find the data they need without already being skilled using Excel. JE suggested that the metadata should be with the data and that area codes need to be in every table. JE also suggested that a user guide explaining the process of downloading and filtering the datasets would be useful.

GM suggested that datasets should show the most recent data first. RD responded that this is in the process of being fixed. 

GM also agreed that not having a search function on the new sites makes it hard to find datasets and that it is difficult to find out whether a dataset has been moved over to the new site.

VD agreed with the feedback from JE and further commented on useability concerns of the new site. VD stated that users without advanced Excel skills would find the new service difficult to use.

PD agreed with the feedback from others and stated the importance of a search function and accessibility of the new site. 

JE suggested having a group session for giving feedback on new service. 

RD responded that the new service is still being improved and developed and that a priority for the new service is to make it accessible to users. SH added that all feedback on the new service is appreciated and will help to determine what developments to the new service need to be prioritised. 

SH thanked members for their feedback and encouraged anyone with additional feedback to complete the StatsWales feedback form found on the StatsWales site.

Action 3: All members that have feedback on the new StatsWales service to complete the StatsWales feedback form.

NJ presented on the current progress of WIMD 2025, which is planned to be published at the end of November. NJ gave an update on the data quality and the changes to the indicators. There are also plans to invite local authority representatives to sense check data for their areas. 

NJ explained the plan to release data at lower layer super output area geography level on publication day and other geography levels to follow in the months after. NJ asked the group for suggestions on what geographies are most important to prioritise after publication.

Discussion

AWi asked if there is any prerelease data quality assurance sessions planned for local authorities. NJ responded that there will be a virtual session on 6 November for local authority reps.

Response to geographies question was primary care clusters, wellbeing areas, ward areas and health board areas.

JL presented on the plans for Census 2031. In July 2025 the UK government commissioned the ONS to conduct a mandatory question-based census for the whole population of Wales and England in 2031.

JL discussed the Census 2031 topic consultation plans which will launch on 28 October. JL also explained the plan for engagement with users both before and after launch day.

Discussion

GW asked what ONS is doing about an address mapping system for cross government mapping usage. JL responded that the address register is currently being looked at and will check and feedback.

Action 4: JL to provide update on ONS position and work around address matching.

BJ asked if the data for gender identity and sex was being improved for Census 2031. JL responded that the harmonised standards for sex and gender identity are anticipated to be available and will be used for the census.

MP asked if census advisory groups would be reestablished. LP responded that those groups would be reestablished. 

SH added that the Welsh Government will respond to the census consultation. WSLC members are encouraged to share their consultation response with the Welsh Government, so that the Welsh Government can represent the views of users in Wales.

GW gave an update on the next housing survey which will commence in 2027-28. The survey will consist of a social element, looking into peoples’ attitudes towards, opinions on and experiences of housing in Wales; and a physical property inspection of a sub-sample of houses. Fieldwork for the survey will happen over the 2027-28 financial year with first headline results due to be published in December 2028.

Discussions

JE asked if data would only be produced at a national level, or if it would be given for other geographies. GW responded that the plan is for regional estimates for physical aspects, but likely still national for most social breakdowns depending on the characteristic/variable being looked at (for example, ethnicity).

ES asked if this is a survey of all housing in Wales, or just social/local authority housing. GW responded that the survey is for all housing in Wales.

Well-being of Wales report to be published on 7 October, which is an annual assessment on progress towards the seven wellbeing goals. Both the national indicator datasets and dashboard will be updated. Data below Wales level is made available where possible. This year the wellbeing report will report on the justice indicator for the first time. The Prif Weinidog has agreed to reviewing the national indicators and milestones once a Senedd term. 

On the Future Trends report, the team responsible has been agreeing the themes. They will be invited to a future meeting in order to give a more detailed update.

Discussions

VD asked about the timing of the future trends report being too late to use for wellbeing assessments. SH responded that the team compiling the report is mindful of this challenge and is considering how to manage this, such as producing the report in phases. 

ES asked whether easy read versions of the wellbeing reports are produced. SH clarified that easy read versions exist and have high number of views.

SK asked whether potentially changing the national indicators during the next Senedd term, while wellbeing assessments are being prepared would cause problems. SH responded that usually changes to national indicators cannot be measured immediately and it takes time to develop the data sources for the new indicators.

JE explained that some background work for population needs assessment has already been started and might be useful for other areas in Wales to use. 

ES mentioned that north Wales are looking to produce regional well-being assessments with data at a more local level where required.

VD asked about engagement for the joint well-being dashboard. HR responded that there is a meeting planned for a couple weeks after launch to find out about engagement.

Action 5: HR to give an update on the engagement for the joint well-being dashboard in the next meeting.

SK mentioned the difficulties with engagement for the well-being assessments and concerns over it being more difficult this time. SK also asked about the review of the guidance for undertaking well-being assessments. SH will reach out to relevant team and feedback on this.

Action 6: SH to reach out to relevant team to provide guidance for the process of undertaking well-being assessments.

SH summarised plans to consider future agenda items around the well-being dashboard and inviting someone from the Future Generations Commissioner’s office to talk about expectations and colleagues from the Welsh Government to give an update on the future trends report.

MP asked for anyone involved in the collection of electoral registration data for the ONS to get in touch so that he can improve his understanding of the process. 

The next meeting will take place on 5 February 2026.

Discussion of items for future meetings

SK suggested inviting someone from the Boundary Commission to explain the process and requirements for producing electoral division projections for local authorities and provide clarity about expectations and any standard approaches which should be used.

JE suggested adding an explanation from the ONS about the new urban and rural classifications.

Action 1: SH to ask the economic statistics team which geographies are used for GVA and regional GDP statistics.

Action 2: HR to check benchmarking Wales website is updated and follow up with ES.

Action 3: All members that have feedback on the new StatsWales service to complete the StatsWales feedback form.

Action 4: JL to provide an update on the ONS’s position and work on address matching.

Action 5: HR to give an update on the engagement for the joint well-being dashboard in the next meeting.

Action 6: SH to reach out to relevant team to provide guidance for the process of undertaking well-being assessments.