The UK Government is reportedly considering centralising key health data to allow easier comparisons between services in each of the four nations. According to the political journalism website Politico ministers have voiced concerns that the lack of standardised data on health and other outcomes "masks" poorer-performing services in Wales and Scotland, making comparing them to England more difficult.
Any such move would be likely to provoke controversy in Wales and Scotland as it would be seen as an attempt to roll back devolution and centralise powers in Westminster. Under the plans the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) would be given greater responsibility over collecting and publishing UK-wide data, two government officials told Politico. This data is currently collected by separate agencies in Scotland and Wales.
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One UK Government official said the lack of centralised data was seen as an issue in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. "Some ministers unsuccessfully pushed for laws to empower the ONS in the Health and Care Bill earlier this year and now want the fresh powers to be included in May's Queen's Speech, when the government sets out its legislative programme," Politico states.
The change comes amid internal divisions in Boris Johnson's government over the strategy for strengthening the Union and the best way to reduce support for nationalist parties in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Michael Gove, the cabinet minister overseeing intergovernmental affairs, has previously pointed colleagues to internal polling that suggests voters want to see the devolved administrations and the UK Government working together, according to one government official. This has led to a characterisation of the government's Union strategy as "Project Love."
But others in government believe this stance has so far failed to drive down support for nationalist parties and argue Westminster should take a more combative stance towards the Scottish and Welsh governments. In response to the reports a Welsh Government spokesman said: "The Concordat for Statistics already sets out how the four nations will work together to produce comparable statistics where appropriate with the Code of Practice for Statistics ensuring that the content, timing, and methods of statistics are determined free from political interference." The UK Government has also been approached for comment.
