Scottish Household SurveyReview Outcomes

John Tibbitt

Senior Principal Research Officer

Development Department, Analytical Services

Review Structure Contractor: Ewen McCaig Review Team

Internal and external representation Advisory group for contractor project

Review Board Representatives from policy and external advisors Support Review Team Consider outcomes of Review Team and contractors work Put forward recommendations on future of SHS

Contractor to provide options and implications Review Board to make final recommendations

Recommendations Increase questionnaire content

Reduce biased image of survey Modularise questionnaire

Need for more content Questionnaire consultation

Address survey image Improve coherence and relevance of data

Uncluster the sample Important design feature May have cost implications

Maintain contact management record Needed to sustain customer contact and data use awareness

Maintain two way contact with policy via core team relationship Effective consultation and dissemination

ModularisationQuestionnaire Consultation Complete reappraisal of existing questionnaire Ownership to question level ‘Lead analysts’ consult with policy colleagues Submit proposed packages by end of March To adopt modular design lead analysts need to consider:

Geographical coverage Sub-population coverage Frequency of reporting Sample size

Packages evaluated by SHS Team and Technical Group Relevance to SE policy Analysis and dissemination Level of reporting required

Survey Design

Procurement for next contract (2007-2010) Invitation to Tender issued to 9 companies

Cost for both clustered and unclustered design Consideration of implications of modular design

Award contract July 2006 New design in field January 2007

Next Steps Ideally, the SHS would like to move to:

Modular design Unclustered sampling

However, need to assess responses from: Lead analysts Tenderers

Only then, can we assess the practicalities and costs of

implementing these changes.