1. ROUNDTABLE Confidentiality - Disclosure Review
John Perry, Claire Powell and Christine Bycroft ONS

2. Background
Confidentiality review requested by National Statistician
4 key areas identified
IDBR was the second area in the review programme

3. IDBR – Data Uses
Sampling frame for business surveys within central government
Created in 1995
Sourced by
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
Companies House
Dun & Bradstreet
ONS Surveys – Mainly Business Register Survey
Northern Ireland (DETINI)
DTI Construction
Defra

4. Outputs UK Business: Activity Size and Location
Neighbourhood Statistics (NeSS)
Disclosure issues relating to geographies
Region in Figures
DTI
Small and Medium Enterprise Statistics
Business Start-ups and Closures – VAT registrations and de-registrations
Eurostat – Statistics in Focus

5. Other types of access On-line access to IDBR
Extracts from the IDBR for statistical purposes
Tabulations from the IDBR for research purposes
Samples for running business surveys
Standard extracts for Local Authorities

6. Processing requests for data
Customer Enquiry Form
Confidentiality clause in contract for contractors
Microdata Release Panel (MRP) request
Microdata Release Unit approval for LA requests
Full MRP panel decision for other new requests
Data Access Agreement
Despatch of data

7. Legislative framework
Value Added Tax (VAT) Act 1994
Finance Act 1969 & 1987 No 2
Statistics of Trade Act 1947 (GB data)
Northern Ireland Order 1988
Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Employment and Training Act 1973 as amended by the Employment Act 1988
NS Code of Practice
Release protocol

8. Exemptions for other purposes
None currently allowed
Strong demand from
HMRC for linkage & classification
DTI for service to industry
Labour Force Survey for managing interviews

9. Protecting Data Current disclosure methods Introducing Tau Argus
Rounding & suppression
Introducing Tau Argus

10. Are there any questions?