Guidance

DSIT public involvement and engagement strategy

Updated 12 May 2026

1. Introduction 

This policy documents our approach to public involvement and engagement for official statistics produced by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), in compliance with following standards set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics, Standards for Official Statistics: 

• Practice 8.5: Publish your public involvement and engagement strategy. Be clear how you engage with users inside and outside of your organisation, as well as other stakeholders with an interest in the statistics, such as intermediaries and community groups 

2. Access to statistics 

Routinely produced statistics are available free of charge from the Research and Statistics page on the GOV.UK website. DSIT will generally announce the month of release of these statistics 12 months in advance and the exact date 4 weeks in advance. All published statistics are published at 9:30am on the scheduled day unless otherwise announced. 

In line with legislation, DSIT will provide a specific statistical publication in a different format if requested. If you require a document in an alternative format such as audio, braille or large print, contact the responsible statistician using the contact email addresses and telephone numbers included within the statistical release or provided on the accompanying statistical press release. Other enquiries regarding the contents of a specific release should be addressed to the responsible statistician for that release. 

Media enquiries regarding the contents of a specific release should be directed to the DSIT press office. 

Enquiries made under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act should be addressed to the department’s FOI team:

DSIT Information Rights Team 
22-26 Whitehall 
London 
SW1A 2EG  

Email: FOI-requests@dsit.gov.uk

3. Consulting with users 

DSIT ensures that on key developments to our statistics, there are transparent and clear processes allowing for views from both internal and external customers. The decision to consult with users is on the authority of DSIT’s Chief Statistician, while complying with the Code of Practice for Statistics. DSIT will engage users including through written consultation with users through consultations or calls for evidence when the department wishes to make: 

• significant changes to the content of publications 

• significant changes to the method of publication 

• major methodological changes to the production of statistics 

• significant changes to how the department publishes its statistics (e.g. the merging of several related publications into a single publication) 

DSIT will provide a summary of user responses to each consultation and the rationale for decisions made about the statistics. These will be provided either as a bespoke response or within statistics releases. 

The primary vehicles for written user engagement exercises on DSIT statistics will be the statistical pages and the consultations section of GOV.UK. Information on written user engagement exercises, updates to the publication schedule, and changes to departmental policies and procedures will be publicised on the DSIT statistics pages. 

In addition to formal consultations, DSIT will seek views through the statistical pages of GOV.UK or in its regular publications with regards to more modest or technical changes.  

Outside of proposed changes, users of individual publications are encouraged to give feedback to the lead statistician on each DSIT release. These details can be found on the webpage of the respective releases. Any feedback given will be taken into consideration for future development plans for the relevant publication.

4. Understanding user needs 

The content of the department’s statistics and the supporting information provided will be informed by an understanding of users’ needs. DSIT statisticians recognise that as a department we monitor lots of innovative and changing concepts, so our statistics need to evolve to remain relevant e.g. economic statistics for emerging sectors and cyber security.  We value industry expertise from these sectors but also consumer experience of living in a changing environment. 

DSIT will ensure that all statistics and research produced by the department follow the core principles set out in the Government Analysis Function User Engagement Strategy. DSIT will also follow best practice in the chosen methods for engagement, as set out by the associated guidance. DSIT will look to deliver effective user engagement through achieving the three main goals of the strategy:  

• collaboration: teams in DSIT work together to identify common users and understand their needs across the DSIT portfolio  

• capability: DSIT will ensure that producers of statistics are aware of the relevant guidance and resources available to support a comprehensive and quality approach to delivering user engagement activities   

• culture: DSIT will embed the principle of user engagement into statistical and research work, as a priority 

DSIT will help users to understand our products by publishing supporting technical annexes or referring to supporting, background or educational information and material. DSIT makes it easy to identify which products have been designated as accredited official statistics by marking them with the accredited official statistics logo.