IoD NI Member News Your Data, Your Voice

We Would like to highlight how the vital information that local businesses provide to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) is being used and to actively encourage your continuing co-operation in completing our statutory surveys. It really does make a difference.

You may be aware that NISRA produce the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) and may have recently received a survey form seeking information from your business. This is a strategically important statutory survey which, amongst other things, is used to produce the Broad Economy Sales and Exports Statistics (BESES).

The ABI and BESES are key resources for measuring the size, performance and structure of the Northern Ireland non-financial business economy. All of the information you provide is used – underpinning, for example, the derivation of UK National Accounts and the calculation of Gross Domestic Product. The NISRA Economic Overview dashboard and summary slide pack provide up-to-date access to a wider range of key economic and labour market indicators that are derived from the information shared by businesses.  Furthermore, the BESES is the only official source for data relating to trade between NI and GB, which is currently a topic of huge interest.

The survey relating to the 2021 reference year is currently out with businesses for completion and will provide much needed insight on the impact of the NI Protocol – more than ever, it is imperative that we receive your information in order to produce robust results.

You may have received a reminder email with a link to the online survey recently.

Please fill in the online survey as soon as possible or contact us if you need help or support to complete it.

Your information really is vital. More than ever before, it is providing the evidence base for the development of policy and decision making at the heart of Government – it’s Your Data and we endeavour to make it Your Voice through the analyses that we undertake in conjunction with colleagues in the Department for Economy. Recent examples include assessing the impact of the pandemic on the local economy and informing the development of business support initiatives.

The same also applies for other NISRA surveys your business may have been selected to complete, including:

• Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings
• Inter Departmental Business Register
• Quarterly Business Survey which encompasses the Index of Services, the Index of Production, Construction Output Statistics, the Retail Sales Index and the Quarterly Employment Survey
• Research and Development | Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (nisra.gov.uk)

Every response counts and helps ensure that we produce robust, reliable and representative results that are fit for purpose and can be trusted – help us do that by taking part.

NISRA fully appreciates the challenges that businesses continue to face. We endeavour to help you by ensuring that your data (your voice) is reflected in Government policies and any associated support measures that may be implemented in response to the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, the implementation of the NI Protocol and other shocks to the economy.

In closing, we thank you most sincerely for providing your invaluable information to us and look forward to your continued cooperation. We highly recommend using our easy-to-use online completion system and that you draw on the dedicated support that is available as necessary.

Brian Green

Director of Business Surveys, NISRA