Jersey’s Chief Statistician, Ian Cope, has published his first annual report, providing a comprehensive overview of Statistics Jersey’s performance and achievements during 2024 and setting out priorities for the future.
The 2024 Report reflects on a landmark year for Statistics Jersey, that included legislative changes, as well as improvements to statistical methodology and the publication of new reports. The report sets out how Statistics Jersey has performed in the period January to December 2024, how it maintained professional standards and what it has spent.
Performance
During 2024, Statistics Jersey published 29 reports, averaging more than one every two weeks, all of which were released on time. Its key achievements include:
- Releasing the first update to population projections since 2016. Following the creation of a secure database of administrative population and social data, population projections can now be updated every two years instead of five-yearly.
- Updating Retail Price Index (RPI) processes for the first time in 20 years, including the development of data infrastructure that reduces risk.
- Developing and launching the Island Outcome Indicators (IOI) dashboard to enhance transparency and improve how Jersey’s progress toward long-term wellbeing goals is tracked and communicated with islanders.
- New statistical outputs covering employment, international government comparisons, and the first Statistics Jersey analysis of public spending.
- Producing the 2024 Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, incorporating a year’s worth of work on current issues relevant to Islanders.
Professional Standards
Under recent changes to the Statistics and Census Law, the Chief Statistician is responsible for developing a Code of Practice for Tier 1 statistics and upholding professional standards across the Jersey Statistical System. Tier 1 statistics refer to the most critical statistical reports that are essential for understanding the Island’s economic, demographic, social, and environmental situation. Once approved, the new Code of Practice will be published later this year.
Chief Statistician, Ian Cope said: “This report marks a significant step towards greater transparency and accountability, and it reflects our commitment to delivering trusted, independent statistics for Jersey.
“It brings together highlights of the year’s work, including key statistical publications, improvements in methodology, and the expansion of digital tools to provide robust data. This work is essential to understanding how our Island is changing and we’re proud of the progress we’ve made.”
Earlier this year, amendments to the Statistics and Census Law came into force which required the Chief Statistician to produce an annual report.