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Building a Suite of Subnational Socioeconomic Indicators for the United Kingdom: Opportunities, Challenges and Recommendations

Author

Listed:
  • Sharada Nia Davidson
  • Kevin Connolly
  • Ciara Crummey
  • Niccolo Brazzelli
  • Mairi Spowage

Abstract

The UK government's levelling up agenda has triggered renewed interest in regional disparities. However, for several years, there has been a growing consensus across the UK that better subnational statistics are required to support policymaking and analysis. This paper assesses the challenges and opportunities associated with building a suite of subnational socioeconomic indicators. Such a suite would facilitate the creation of profiles of local areas across the UK's four nations. By reviewing current international practise, the UK policy and geographical landscape and the vast array of indicators which could be included in a suite, we provide six sets of recommendations. Specifically, we address: which indicators should be included; the timeliness and geographical granularity required; the extent to which indicators should be comparable across the four nations; how measurement, comparability issues and data gaps can be minimised; and how such data should be disseminated.

Suggested Citation

  • Sharada Nia Davidson & Kevin Connolly & Ciara Crummey & Niccolo Brazzelli & Mairi Spowage, 2022. "Building a Suite of Subnational Socioeconomic Indicators for the United Kingdom: Opportunities, Challenges and Recommendations," Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) Discussion Papers ESCoE DP-2022-13, Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE).
    • Handle: RePEc:nsr:escoed:escoe-dp-2022-13
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sharada Nia Davidson & James Black & Kevin Connolly & Mairi Spowage, 2022. "Improving the Quality of Regional Economic Indicators in the UK: A Framework for the Production of Supply and Use and Input Output Tables for the Four Nations," Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) Discussion Papers ESCoE DP-2022-14, Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE).
    2. Daniel J. Lewis & Karel Mertens & James H. Stock & Mihir Trivedi, 2022. "Measuring real activity using a weekly economic index," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(4), pages 667-687, June.
    3. Mairi Spowage & Sharada Nia Davidson, 2021. "Improving the Quality of Regional Economic Indicators in the UK: A Framework for Interregional Trade Data Collection and Estimation," Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) Technical Reports ESCOE-TR-13, Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE).
    4. Kevin Connolly & Mairi Spowage, 2021. "Improving the quality of regional economic indicators: Regional consumer prices," Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) Discussion Papers ESCoE DP-2021-13, Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE).
    5. James H. Stock & Mark W. Watson, 1989. "New Indexes of Coincident and Leading Economic Indicators," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 1989, Volume 4, pages 351-409, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Theodore M. Crone & Alan Clayton-Matthews, 2005. "Consistent Economic Indexes for the 50 States," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 87(4), pages 593-603, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    data collection; industrial policy; levelling up; rebalancing; survey methods;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C82 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Macroeconomic Data; Data Access
    • C83 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Survey Methods; Sampling Methods
    • H7 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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