What changes are being proposed to the National Records of Scotland statistical publications.

I have asked Alison Byrne, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS), to respond. Her response is as follows:NRS has reviewed its portfolio of statistical publications to ensure that statistical production remains sustainable, continues to meet user needs and delivers maximum public value. The review considered whether changes to the frequency, format or production arrangements of some statistical publications may be appropriate.The main changes NRS is proposing are:Scaling back the frequency or content of some publicationsHouseholds and Dwellings in Scotland: reducing from annual to every two yearsSmall Area Population Estimates: releasing only final estimates and no provisional figuresAlzheimer's and Other Dementia Deaths: reducing standalone publication from annual to every two years. Annual analysis on leading causes of death will continue to be published in another publicationHomeless Deaths: reducing from annual to every two yearsAvoidable Mortality: converting to a data-only releaseMonthly Mortality Analysis, Scotland: reducing from monthly to quarterlyChanging responsibility for productionHealthy Life Expectancy: transferring production from NRS to Public Health Scotland (PHS) after the 2023-2025 reporting period. PHS will assume responsibility for the production and development of Healthy Life Expectancy statistics, while NRS will continue to publish annual Life Expectancy statisticsPeople Registered to Vote: Transferring production from NRS to the Scottish GovernmentEngagement to date has focused primarily on organisations and stakeholders who use statistics for policy development, we have also considered known user needs established through ongoing engagement with our customers.This early engagement has provided valuable insight into how statistics are used to support policy development, operational decision-making and public services. We also explored the impact our proposals would have on their stakeholders and the wider public. We now want to hear directly from the wider community of users.Today, 22 October 2026, NRS will publish a Call for Feedback and launch a six-week public engagement exercise alongside its Annual Statistical Work Programme. This will give users, stakeholders and members of the public an opportunity to provide views on the proposed changes to NRS statistical publications. Further details will be made available on a dedicated Call for Feedback page.Feedback received through the engagement exercise will be carefully considered before any final decisions are made. NRS will publish a summary of the feedback received and its conclusions following the engagement period.The review is intended to ensure that Scotland continues to benefit from a sustainable, high-quality statistical system, with resources directed towards outputs that provide the greatest value for users and decision-makers.