Consultation on proposed changes to Welsh Government statistics outputs

We know that many of our statistical outputs are valued and widely used. At the same time, we’re facing increasing demands, financial pressures and a need to modernise how we work.

This consultation is part of Welsh Government’s response to those challenges. We’re moving away from paid-for software and adopting free, open-source tools. This will help us build more efficient and sustainable ways of working, including reproducible analytical pipelines (Analysis Function).

To make space for this transformation, we need to look carefully at what we currently produce and make some decisions about where we focus our efforts.

We’re proposing changes to some of our statistical outputs, including:

• stopping or postponing some releases
• shortening content
• reducing how often outputs are published
• changing the format of outputs

We know that change can be difficult, and that many outputs have long-standing value. That’s why we want to hear from you, not just about whether you agree or disagree, but about how we can best manage this shift together.

Your feedback will help us understand the impact of these proposals and shape how we prioritise our work going forward.

Where we are now

Welsh Government statisticians currently produce a large number of outputs each year, with 418 items published in 2024 alone. We are operating in a context of:

• constrained budgets
• rising costs (including for analytical software)
• growing demand for timely, high-quality statistics
• a need to upskill staff to use new tools and methods

We are proud of the breadth and quality of our outputs, but we also need to ask: how can we continue to deliver value while working within tighter constraints?

This consultation is part of answering that question.

Why we are proposing changes

Demand for statistics has increased significantly in recent years. We want to meet that demand, but we also need to make choices about where we focus our efforts.

We’ve looked at our current outputs and asked:

• which ones are most used and valued?
• where could we do things differently?
• what could we stop, reduce or change to free up capacity?

The Code of Practice for Statistics (UK Statistics Authority) encourages us to engage with users before making changes. The last consultation of this kind was held 12 years ago, so it’s time to revisit these questions.

This is also part of a wider transformation programme. In 2026, we aim to have a more sustainable, efficient and effective analytical infrastructure one that supports both current needs and future priorities.

What we are proposing

We’ve carried out a scoping exercise to identify outputs that could be changed. These proposals are based on:

• usage data (e.g. Google Analytics hits)
• feedback from analytical teams
• initial user input

The proposed changes fall into four categories:

• stop or postpone the output
• reduce how often it is published
• shorten the content
• change the format (e.g. from a full report to a data-only release)

We know these proposals may affect users differently. That’s why we’re asking for your views, not just on the proposals themselves, but on how we can best manage this shift.

What outcomes we expect

If the proposed changes are put in place, they will help us:

• free up resources for new priorities
• respond flexibly to future demands, including Senedd reform and the priorities of a new government in 2026
• build a more resilient and adaptable statistics system for Wales

What to expect in this consultation

The consultation is organised by themes. For each theme we explain the proposed changes and ask for your views. We invite you to help us think through the best way forward.

Your feedback will help us understand the impact of these changes and make sure our statistics continue to meet the needs of users across Wales.

Statistics about transport in Wales, such as air and sea travel and road use. 

Some of these outputs are well-used and support important areas like public safety and planning. Others are less used or available from other sources, so we’re looking at ways to simplify or reduce them.

We want to make sure we keep the most useful and important data, including high-profile releases, while making better use of tools like StatsWales to share information more efficiently.

Proposed changes 

1. Air transport
   Our proposal: reduce to a short summary of main points for Wales and signpost users to originating data
2. Rail station usage
   Our proposal: stop both the report and updates to StatsWales datasets and signpost users to the originating data
3. Rail transport
   Our proposal: stop both the report and updates to StatsWales datasets and signpost users to the originating data
4. Motoring offences
   Our proposal: stop both the report and updates to StatsWales datasets and signpost users to the originating data
5. Public service vehicles (buses and taxis)
   Our proposal: reduce to a short summary of main points for Wales, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
6. Road traffic
   Our proposal: reduce to a short summary of main points for Wales and signpost users to originating data
7. Sea transport
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
8. Road freight
   Our proposal: stop both the report and updates to StatsWales datasets

Statistics about the economy, international trade, labour market and skills in Wales. Specifically including business activity and demography, international trade in goods outputs; as well as key labour market indicators, and young people who are not in employment, education or training. 

Some of these outputs are well-used and support important areas relating to the economy and labour market. Others are less used or available from other sources, so we’re looking at ways to simplify or reduce them.

We want to make sure we keep the most useful and important data, including high-profile releases, while making better use of tools like StatsWales or our International Trade in Goods Dashboard to share information more efficiently.

Proposed changes 

1. Research and development (business)
   Our proposal: stop both the report and updates to StatsWales datasets and signpost users to the originating data
2. Research and development (gross expenditure)
   Our proposal: stop updates to StatsWales and signpost users to originating data, whilst maintaining short summary of main points for Wales
3. Business demography
   Our proposal: stop the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
4. International goods trade annual
   Our proposal: stop the annual report (but continue with the short quarterly summary of key points for Wales)
5. Labour market overview 
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
6. Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET)
   Our proposal: reduce frequency of the report from quarterly to either annual or 6 monthly.

Statistics about activity, performance, workforce and expenditure across the NHS and social services, including primary, secondary and community care.  

Some of these reports are well used by the Welsh Government and service providers.  Others are less used or available from other sources, so we’re looking at ways to simplify or reduce them. We’re looking at whether these products can be simplified or reduced while still providing the key information users need.

We want to make sure we keep the most useful and important data, including high-profile releases, while making better use of tools like StatsWales to share information more efficiently.

Proposed changes 

1. Trends in NHS planned care activity
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
2. Trends in NHS emergency care activity
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
3. Maternity and birth statistics
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
4. General practice workforce
   Our proposal: shorten the annual report and maintain the current suite of StatsWales data tables, and reduce the frequency of the quarterly report.
5. Staff directly employed by the NHS
   Our proposal: shorten the annual report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales, and reduce frequency of publication. Merge the staff directly employed by the NHS report with sickness absence and NHS vacancy statistics.
6. Sickness absence in the NHS:
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales, and reduce frequency of publication. Merge the staff directly employed by the NHS report with sickness absence and NHS vacancy statistics.
7. NHS vacancy statistics
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales, and reduce frequency of publication. Merge the staff directly employed by the NHS report with sickness absence and NHS vacancy statistics.
8. NHS expenditure programme budgets
   Our proposal: stop this report. The data will still be published in a different format, but likely by a different organisation.
9. Patients in mental health hospitals and units
   Our proposal: shorten the report, and understand if/how this output is used.
10. Admission of patients to mental health facilities
    Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst expanding the amount of data on StatsWales
11. Social services national outcomes framework: annual reports
    Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst maintaining the current number of indicators.

Statistics about housing supply, housing affordability, housing quality and fuel poverty. 

Some outputs covered by this theme are well-used and support housing policy in Wales. Others are less used or available from other sources, so we’re looking at ways to simplify or reduce them.

We want to make sure we keep the most useful and important data, including high-profile releases, while making better use of tools like StatsWales to share information more efficiently.

Proposed changes 

1. Housing hazards
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
2. Assistance for housing improvement
   Our proposal: shorten the report, and stop the publication of data relating to private sector renewal activity. All other data would continue to be published on StatsWales.
3. Houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing
   Our proposal: stop this report.

Statistics about education, training and skills from pre-school to school, through to further and higher education and adult and community learning in Wales, data on pupil numbers and characteristics, to school performance, attendance and data on staffing and finance. 

Some of these outputs are well-used and support important areas relating to education in Wales. Others are less used or available from other sources, so we’re looking at ways to simplify or reduce them.

We want to make sure we keep the most useful and important data, including high-profile releases, while making better use of tools like StatsWales to share information more efficiently.

Proposed changes 

1. Initial teacher education
   Our proposal: shorten the report
2. Welsh Government Learning Grants (further education) 
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
3. Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA) awarded in Wales
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales
4. Youth work
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales

Statistics about social justice in Wales, covering topics such as poverty, deprivation, equalities, justice and fires. 

Some of these outputs are well-used and provide important evidence on inequalities, community safety and vulnerable people in Wales. Others are less used or available from other sources, so we’re looking at ways to simplify or reduce them.

We want to make sure we keep the most useful and important data, including high-profile releases, while making better use of tools like StatsWales to share information more efficiently.

Proposed changes 

1. Equality and diversity statistics
   Our proposal: combine with other equalities topics in a single report when data is available from the Transformed labour force survey (Office for National Statistics (ONS))
2. Sexual orientation 
   Our proposal: combine with other equalities topics in a single report when data is available from the Transformed labour force survey (ONS)
3. Ethnicity and national identity 
   Our proposal: combine with other equalities topics in a single report when data is available from the Transformed labour force survey (ONS) and reduce frequency of publication from quarterly to annual
4. Discretionary Assistance Fund
   Our proposal: reduce frequency of publication from quarterly to 6 monthly.
5. Youth justice interactive dashboard
   Our proposal: stop this output and signpost users to the originating data
6. Gypsy and traveller caravan count 
   Our proposal: reduce the frequency of the release
7. Deliberate fires and Grassland fires 
   Our proposal: shorten the report, whilst keeping data on StatsWales

Submit your comments by 11 February 2026, in any of the following ways:

• complete our online form
• download, complete our response form and email: KAS.Transformation@gov.wales
• download, complete our response form and post to:

Knowledge and Analytical Services: Statistical Services
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

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Data Protection Officer

Data Protection Officer
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

E-mail: data.protectionofficer@gov.wales

Information Commissioner’s Office

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Number: WG53473

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