IDS’ stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg

The Independent reports this morning that Iain Duncan Smith “misled Parliament” in a Commons debate on welfare – forcing officials to “correct the record”. As regular readers of Left Foot Forward will know, this is just the tip of the iceberg in relation to IDS and his department’s misuse of statistics.

Today’s Independent outlines that:

“Iain Duncan Smith misled Parliament by passing off figures from a property comparison website owned by the Daily Mail as official government figures.

“In a parliamentary debate, the Work and Pensions Secretary claimed that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that private sector rents had fallen by 5 per cent last year. At the same time he claimed the amount local authorities paid to private landlords had risen by 3 per cent.

“But, in fact, the ONS does not collect such statistics and the figures he quoted came from the website findaproperty.com owned by Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers.”

Left Foot Forward and the independent Full Fact website have been documenting the Department for Work and Pensions’ detachment from reality. Other instances include:

On November 11th, IDS said “We created over four million jobs in those 13 years and…70% of those net jobs were taken by people from overseas”. The first claim was challenged by Full Fact while the use of the phrase “net jobs” was taken to task by Left Foot Forward.

On November 8th Left Foot Forward documented a secret briefing on housing benefit – timed to influence coverage of a Commons debate – which made “exaggerated claims based on out-of-context figures and pointless data manipulation”.

On October 27th, Left Foot Forward revealed that DWP had been caught peddling erroneous press briefings on the number of households affected by the new benefits cap – a Daily Mail story citing DWP figures over-stated the problem by a factor of four.

On October 22nd, Full Fact picked up IDS’s misuse of official figures on job vacancies, when he said there were “something like 450,000, just short of half a million jobs every week created within the Job Centres” – the correct figure was the lower figure of 383,000.

On September 16th, Full Fact exposed a string of secret DWP briefings to the right wing press on welfare and benefits which were not available to the public.

On August 20th, Left Foot Forward revealed that the DWP had issued a secret press briefing on workless households but refused to release the statistics.

On August 12th, IDS’ deputy, Chris Grayling, over-estimated the proportion of London households in which no-one had ever worked by a factor of three.

An investigation has been ordered into the way the Department of Work and Pensions uses releases statistics to the media by the chair of the UK Statistics Authority, Sir Michael Scholar. When the rest of the mainstream media will pick up the story is anyone’s guess.

http://twitter.com/dontplaymepayme/status/5537011884625920 dontplaymepayme

RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg – latest instance reveals culture of misuse in DWP http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/anubeon/status/5538310319505408 Lee Hyde

RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg – latest instance reveals culture of misuse in DWP http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/houseoftwits/status/5539580811939841 House Of Twits

RT @leftfootfwd IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg – latest instance reveals culture of misuse in DWP http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/hopefulhumanist/status/5540655409397760 Kenechi

No way! RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg – latest instance reveals culture of misuse in DWP http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/tim_nicholls/status/5541042875015169 Tim Nicholls

RT @leftfootfwd IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg -latest instance reveals culture of misuse in DWP http://bit.ly/dBlyTq <good article
http://twitter.com/wdjstraw/status/5541541602918400 Will Straw

When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://www.appointmetotheboard.com/ apptmetotheboard

The figures are eye-catching – there was a discussion in the office this week about the number of jobs going to overseas workers for example – and they got out there first. As such, they are in the collective British mind, and established as fact. Corrections won’t change that at all. IDS and DWP need to get their house (no pun intended) in order.
http://twitter.com/nicolatuc/status/5542500307574784 Nicola Smith

RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg – latest instance reveals culture of misuse in DWP http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
Julian

“An investigation has been ordered into the way the Department of Work and Pensions uses statistics by the chair of the UK Statistics Authority, Sir Michael Scholar. When the rest of the mainstream media will pick up the story is anyone’s guess.”

Your link doesn’t point to anything that indicates an investigation has been ordered. Googling for further information returns references to left wing sites and blogs that all say the DWP is under investigation by the UK Statistics Authority, but nothing more “independent”. You may be right that the mainstream media has not picked this up but it’s a little strange not to be able to find any official or other reference to it at all.

Please can you provide a link that gives more information on this investigation. If you do, perhaps it will get picked up and the information spread.
http://twitter.com/weezegee/status/5543406860247041 louise gittins

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/katewatson67/status/5543441941405696 Kate Watson

RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg – latest instance reveals culture of misuse in DWP http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/apptme2theboard/status/5543712507568128 apptme2theboard

RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg – latest instance reveals culture of misuse in DWP http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/didy64/status/5544191207669760 Diane

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/taobhcle/status/5544313165447168 Taobh Clé

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/jimmelly/status/5544903404691456 Jim Melly

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/bloggerheads/status/5545513722056704 Tim Ireland

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/voluntasfeedbck/status/5546334895480832 Voluntas Housing

RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg – latest instance reveals culture of misuse in DWP http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/leni_lava/status/5546363269943296 leni lava

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/katiecurtis/status/5547100808941569 KatieCurtis

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/anthonypainter/status/5547796354564096 Anthony Painter

“@wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq”
http://twitter.com/donpaskini/status/5548111229358080 Don Paskini

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
Marcus Cotswell

Oh no! Wicked, nasty ConDems! Perhaps this sort of thing would carry more weight if the left generally had squawked a bit more loudly about the last government’s serial misuse of statistics. As it is, it just sounds infantile.
http://twitter.com/ladyedinburgh/status/5551395910455296 Sarah Brown

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
Paul Dean

Oh the irony, that your quote from the independent misleads the reader so. It clearly says that findaproperty.com is owned by the Daily Mail, AND that it is owned by the same company that owns the Daily Mail. So which is it? The former untruth is clearly to raise eyebrows, the latter presumably more accurate version is somewhat less interesting. Why should I read further?
http://twitter.com/adamjlent/status/5554202596081664 Adam Lent

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/paulstpancras/status/5555432806424576 paulstpancras

IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg | Left Foot Forward
http://bit.ly/deSO6D
http://twitter.com/othertpa/status/5556949554827264 Other TaxPayers Alli

Is this what happens when you recruit your special advisors from the TPA? IDS stats rebuke http://bit.ly/9pfhPg (via @leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/peterpannier/status/5558310241574912 Peter Pannier

RT @OtherTPA: Is this what happens when you recruit your special advisors from the TPA? IDS stats rebuke http://bit.ly/9pfhPg (via @left …
http://twitter.com/yorkierosie/status/5559364878344192 yorkierosie

RT @OtherTPA: Is this what happens when you recruit your special advisors from the TPA? IDS stats rebuke http://bit.ly/9pfhPg (via @left …
http://twitter.com/rosshaffenden/status/5559489830846464 Ross Haffenden

RT @OtherTPA: Is this what happens when you recruit your special advisors from the TPA? IDS stats rebuke http://bit.ly/9pfhPg (via @left …
http://twitter.com/johnnycov/status/5560920541499392 John Coventry

RT @OtherTPA: Is this what happens when you recruit your special advisors from the TPA? IDS stats rebuke http://bit.ly/9pfhPg (via @left …
http://twitter.com/frdragonspouse/status/5562556378783744 Jill Hayward

RT @OtherTPA: Is this what happens when you recruit your special advisors from the TPA? IDS stats rebuke http://bit.ly/9pfhPg (via @left …
http://twitter.com/jasoncharlton/status/5562561349025792 JASON CHARLTON

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/louhaigh/status/5563018024849408 Louise Haigh

RT @OtherTPA: Is this what happens when you recruit your special advisors from the TPA? IDS stats rebuke http://bit.ly/9pfhPg (via @left …
http://twitter.com/unity_mot/status/5564158493859840 Unity

RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg http://bit.ly/9ZsIQz
http://twitter.com/bill_bold/status/5565524373147648 bill bold

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/joemcmanners/status/5567015628574720 joemcmanners

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/wireman/status/5573224448393216 Bryan McComb

RT @Unity_MoT: RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg http://bit.ly/9ZsIQz
http://twitter.com/debsalini/status/5579015993696256 Deborah Segalini

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/wdjstraw/status/5583784946704384 Will Straw

@fatcouncillor There's a litany of statistical misuse of one kind and another by DWP http://bit.ly/9ZsIQz
http://twitter.com/psbook/status/5584124605636608 Political Scrapbook

Iain Duncan Smith's detachment from statistical reality http://bit.ly/9xpa1f (from@leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/deludeddonny/status/5584316717334528 DeludedDonny

RT @psbook: Iain Duncan Smith's detachment from statistical reality http://bit.ly/9xpa1f (from@leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/brianfmoylan/status/5584931069632512 Brian Moylan

RT @psbook: Iain Duncan Smith's detachment from statistical reality http://bit.ly/9xpa1f (from@leftfootfwd) #tories #statistics #ukpolitics
http://twitter.com/blacflag/status/5586578885840896 ally

RT @psbook: Iain Duncan Smith's detachment from statistical reality http://bit.ly/9xpa1f (from@leftfootfwd)
http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/5588731083882496 Shamik Das

On @leftfootfwd this morning: Unite's Tony Woodley defends the union link: http://is.gd/hpBX8 & more DWP misuse of stats: http://is.gd/hpBSp
http://twitter.com/republicofjones/status/5592080395010048 Richard Jones

Tsk. IDS cooking the books, eh? http://bit.ly/9i6wSd
http://twitter.com/maenllwyd/status/5601562055409664 Dominic Smith

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
http://twitter.com/andybold/status/5609285266444288 Andy Bold

Lies, damned lies, and statistics that you just have to make up: http://bit.ly/bMzK5D
http://twitter.com/jackstone36/status/5638148272955392 Jack Stone

IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/FIjbWOT
http://twitter.com/ldtuc/status/5641653532491777 L DTUC

RT @OtherTPA: Is this what happens when you recruit your special advisors from the TPA? IDS stats rebuke http://bit.ly/9pfhPg (via @left …
http://twitter.com/yorkierosie/status/5650651883241473 yorkierosie

RT @jackstone36: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/FIjbWOT
http://twitter.com/press_not_sorry/status/5651319431888896 Press Not Sorry

RT @wdjstraw: When will the mainstream media pick up on the serial problem of stats misuse at DWP? http://bit.ly/dBlyTq
janie_s

don’t let the facts get in the way of a good ideology!
http://www.touchstoneblog.org.uk/2010/11/web-links-for-19th-november-2010/ Web links for 19th November 2010 | ToUChstone blog: A public policy blog from the TUC

[...] IDS’ stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg Left Foot Forward discusses the DWP's use of statistics over the last 6 months. Today's papers report that the Secretary of State misled the Commons by claiming that statistics for rents which he had claimed were from the Office for National Statistics were in fact from a property comparison website owned by the owners of the Daily Mail. <br /> LFF points to seven other examples and reminds us that the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority has ordered an investigation into the way the DWP uses statistics. Related posts (automatically generated):Cuts Watch #183: The Big Society keeps getting smaller [...]
http://twitter.com/darkestangel31/status/5738466637778944 Loraine Hardy

RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg http://bit.ly/9ZsIQz
http://twitter.com/deludeddonny/status/5739185176580096 DeludedDonny

IDS’ stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg – http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/11/iain-duncan-smith-statistics-misuse/
Mr. Sensible

Oops…
http://twitter.com/cllrkrichards/status/5820671485546496 Kevin Richards

Independent reports that Iain Duncan Smith misled Parliament RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg http://bit.ly/9ZsIQz
http://twitter.com/timwhale/status/5873851036602368 Tim Whale

Can you trust a politician who picks and chooses his own sources for statisticd http://bit.ly/c1lu88
http://twitter.com/pauldr1969/status/5878639581200384 Paul Roberts

@SkyNews RT @MagsNews: reports that Iain Duncan Smith misled Parliament @leftfootfwd: IDS stat rebuke is tip of iceberg http://bit.ly/9ZsIQz
http://twitter.com/geminipartners/status/5905769274810369 Gemini Partnership

RT @leftfootfwd: IDS' stats rebuke is tip of the iceberg http://bit.ly/9ZsIQz
auditukdwp

What needs to be remembered about “welfare claimants” is that ALL claims have been introduced by Governments. So it is time to reverse the trend that has been unfairly and unjustifiably set against the rights of people who have been entitled to make claims according to the law. The faults that Ian Duncan Smith has been caught out on are not, unfortunately, to be uniquely held against him or against the CONDEM regime. Successive holders of the office in the Blair-Brown years that IDS now holds were almost identical in their de facto participation in “damning” the claimants. The claimants did not and could not under the British system of legislation enact a statute no matter how universally that would be justifiable. Condem IDS for his falsehood. But do so in context and admit that the state has been abused by regimes to assail the universal rights of those who have been pushed into poverty by the policies of Governments and by those who have been milking the state many times more than the ordinary benefit claimants put together could claim in all constituent parts of the UK. Let us start to examine the scroungers that have been robbing the UK public of £Billions under so many contracts that the DWP never volunteers information on. That will be an overdue start. Then there are thousands of individual items representing systematic and historic looting of the “welfare £££££” by the big businesses who mechanically join together in their dishonest attacks on the “benefit cheats” which is what they THINK all claimants are anyway.
1505 Saturday 20 Nov 2010
James Moore

DWP Statistics are investigated

http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/improvements_to_JSA.pdf
http://twitter.com/angustheog/status/6377715422732289 angus meiklejohn

Hey Nicky boy, you're not the only wee liar. IDS is at it too http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/11/iain-duncan-smith-statistics-misuse/
http://twitter.com/cllr_kevinmaton/status/6700520135725057 Cllr. Kevin Maton

We need to get better at pointing out this abuse of information http://tinyurl.com/29obqun
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/11/iain-duncan-smith-douglas-alexander-dwp-stats-letter/ IDS asked to correct the record on DWP stats | Left Foot Forward

[...] debate on November 9th. The clarification sought by Mr Alexander follows a series of instances of misuse of statistics by the [...]
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/11/uk-statistics-authority-serious-deficiencies-in-dwp-use-of-statistics/ UK Statistics Authority: “Serious deficiencies” in DWP use of statistics | Left Foot Forward

[...] Foot Forward has been documenting the misuse of statistics by Iain Duncan Smith, his deputy Chris Grayling, and officials in the Department for Work and [...]
http://twitter.com/wdjstraw/status/54470328214228993 Will Straw

Here's one example of IDS misuse of statistics http://bit.ly/9xpa1f
http://twitter.com/paulfinney1969/status/54476890731331584 paul finney

RT @wdjstraw: Here's one example of IDS misuse of statistics http://bit.ly/9xpa1f
http://twitter.com/robert_sprigge/status/54478986306273280 Robert Sprigge

RT @wdjstraw: Here's one example of IDS misuse of statistics http://bit.ly/9xpa1f