Some recent examples are provided below:
Business Support Schemes during COVID pandemic
A range of business and labour market survey information derived from business and household surveys have been used to provide estimates of the economic impacts of Covid and associated regulation-based restrictions.
In addition, business survey data from annual surveys (ABI, BESES, BRES) and short-term quarterly surveys (IOS, IOP, QCE and QES) have been used to inform the development, implementation and evaluation of a range of Covid-related business support schemes and the High Street Stimulus schemes. These sources have also fed into other economic work as well as providing the basis for regular and timely monitoring of outcomes to the economy during the pandemic.
Alan McClelland, Principal Statistician, Department for the Economy NI
Disability within the Northern Ireland Labour Market
As part of the Department’s Economic and Social Research Programme, DfC Professional Services Unit recently published a research report titled ‘Disability within the Northern Ireland Labour Market’. The research will be used to inform on-going development of a new Disability and Work Strategy for NI.
The research project focused on providing evidence on employment outcomes for people with disabilities in Northern Ireland. It explored disparities in the employment outcomes between disabled and non-disabled people, barriers and constraints that prevent people with disabilities from achieving their employment goals and potential interventions to address the issues.
Labour Force Survey data collected from households in NI was used to establish the baseline position for disability employment across a range of metrics.
The research report can be found here: Disability within the Northern Ireland Labour Market | Department for Communities (communities-ni.gov.uk)
Michael McFadden, Principal Economist, Department for Communities
Providing the evidence base of Skills Strategy in NI
DfE economists worked extensively with NISRA ELMS and DfE Skills Policy to establish several aspects of the Skills Strategy evidence base, drawing heavily on the Labour Force Survey. This included:
- Agreeing the indicators for the Work Quality Indicators publication that have resulted from new questions on the Labour Force Survey;
- Producing for the first time a Lifelong Learning Indicator based on training questions on the Labour Force Survey. Creating a culture of lifelong learning is one of the major policy objectives within the NI Skills Strategy.
- Producing new qualification statistics that align with DfE policy direction and were derived from existing LFS questions on qualification attainment;
- Providing the evidence to help establish Strategic Goals by analysing the changing qualification profile in NI as the population ages using 10 years of LFS data.
Julianne Kieran, Principal Economist, Department for the Economy NI
Informing the Energy Strategy
Secondary analysis of the Energy purchases questions contained within the Annual Business Inquiry successfully developed a monitoring metric for inclusion in the DfE Energy Strategy. The survey provides a measure of purchases as a proportion of turnover which will enable monitoring of change to input pressures faced by businesses represented by their energy expenditure. See:
- Northern Ireland business energy purchases provisional estimates 2016 to 2018 | Department for the Economy (economy-ni.gov.uk)
- Energy Strategy Metrics - A Statistical Methodology Report (economy-ni.gov.uk)
- Energy Strategy Metrics Dashboard (economy-ni.gov.uk)
Informing the Covid-19 Culture, Languages, Arts, and Heritage Support Programme
DfC officials worked with Ulster University Economic Policy Centre to estimate employment vulnerabilities in the Arts, Culture , Creative and Heritage sectors using Labour Force Survey data.
Employment vulnerabilities were estimated on an occupational, sectoral, part-time and full time, geographical and gender basis using baseline data from the Labour Force Survey and an Office of Budget Responsibility analysis of CJRS claimants to model how demand side shocks impacted employees.
This research provided a starting point enabling policy interventions to be shaped in a manner that targeted need. For example, the research combined with extensive sectoral engagement undertaken by DfC policy officials, was used to inform the development of the policy framework underpinning the Covid-19 Culture, Languages, Arts, and Heritage Support Programme.
Gillian Callan, Principal Economist, DfC
NI Statistical Surveys - Assessment of Cost Burden to Business 2020/21
This report details the cost to businesses of complying with statutory and voluntary government statistical surveys in Northern Ireland. It provides information on the number of surveys carried out by each government department.
Statement by the Northern Ireland Statistics Advisory Committee (SAC): NI Statistical Surveys - Assessment of Cost Burden to Business 2020-21
Statement published by the Statistics Advisory Committee (SAC) commenting on the NI Statistical Surveys - Assessment of Cost Burden to Business 2020-21 publication.