Government’s preferred candidate for the role of UK Statistics Authority Chair

Lord True has today confirmed Sir Robert Chote as the government’s preferred candidate for the role of UK Statistics Authority Chair.

Sir Robert is a former head of the Office for Budget Responsibility and the Institute for Fiscal Studies and is currently serving part-time as the first chair of the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council, an independent body created in 2021 to bring greater transparency and independent scrutiny to NI’s public finances. He also chairs the external advisory group of the Parliamentary Budget Office in the Republic of Ireland.

Sir Robert studied economics at Queens’ College, Cambridge (where he is now an Honorary Fellow), journalism at City University in London and public policy at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC. He has an honorary doctorate from the University of York and is a Visiting Professor at Kings College London. He was knighted in 2021 for services to fiscal policy and the economy.

The recommendation follows a fair and open recruitment process following the requirements of the Governance Code for Public Appointments. Pre-appointment scrutiny by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) will follow shortly.

Minister of State at the Cabinet Office Lord True said:

I am delighted to confirm Sir Robert Chote as the preferred candidate for the office of Chair of the UK Statistics Authority. Sir Robert has all the attributes, experience and independence of judgement needed to lead the UKSA Board and the regulation of UK statistics.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sir David Norgrove for his work as UK Statistics Authority Chair over the last five years”.

Following a pre-appointment hearing, PACAC will publish their recommendations, which the government will consider before deciding whether to finalise the appointment in consultation with HM the Queen.

Notes to Editors:

• Sir Robert Chote has been Chair of the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council since 2021. Previously he was Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility (2010-20), Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (2002-10), an adviser to senior management at the International Monetary Fund (2000-02), Economics Editor of the Financial Times (1995-1999) and a economics and business writer on The Independent (1990-94).

• The Panel for the campaign was made up of: Alex Chisholm, Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary Jayne-Anne Gadhia, Lead non executive, HMRC Sian Jones, Deputy Chair, UK Statistics Authority Clare Lombardelli, HM Treasury Chief Economic Adviser Graeme Archer, Vice President and Head, Research & MST Statistics, GSK R&D