Politics

When was the ‘truth’ era?

Published

7 years ago

February 24, 2017

THAT was one of the questions posed at a recent panel discussion hosted by the Royal Statistical Society to consider whether we really are in a post-truth world of ‘alternative facts’, and if so what we can do about it.

These terms have become commonplace as people try to make sense of a global political landscape that looks and feels different to what many would have predicted a year ago. So it was refreshing to hear a more critical take on the concepts such as post-truth, fake news and echo-chambers.

That isn’t to say that the panellists thought all is well. It was accepted that misinformation, ‘fake news’, and a lack of regard for evidence in some quarters are issues worthy of addressing, and that it’s vital for the health of our democracy that we do so. What’s more, Helen Margetts (Oxford Internet Institute) presented a compelling case that the Internet and social media may be exacerbating the problem.

“Is anything particularly new about the challenges we face in defending the importance of facts and evidence?”

What was questioned was the notion that there is anything particularly new about the challenges we face in defending the importance of facts and evidence.

Or, to restate the earlier question – against what previous golden age of ‘truth’ are we implicitly comparing our modern era to when we use the phrase ‘post-truth’?

This sense of perspective is welcome. William Davies’ recent piece in the Guardian, which has generated much discussion in the statistical world, painted a gloomy picture of the supposedly waning power of statistics. But as the National Statistician pointed out in response, our supposedly ‘post-truth’ era is also characterised by both a yearning for more trustworthy analysis to make sense of the world and an abundance of data out there to help inform it, if only we can tap into and make sense of it.

And that is central to our mission here at the Office for National Statistics. We are constantly striving to produce better statistics to support better decisions. We have ambitious plans to harness big data and exploit its potential to help us understand the modern world. And we are always looking to better understand current and future user needs and respond to them where we can.

“We will continue to champion the value of evidence and statistics, even in our supposedly post-truth world.”

It’s not just about producing better statistics, however. There are challenges in explaining to a wide audience what the evidence says about any given issue when the matter at hand is complex, the evidence is not always clear cut, and the methodological limitations of statistics need to be made clear in the name of transparency.

The difficulty with that, as panellist James Bell from Buzzfeed explained, is that when it comes to dealing with a mass audience and a controversial issue, a simple and clear message usually beats a complex one.

Those of us working in the field of official statistics always need to challenge ourselves to communicate better and in a way that is clear and accessible. But we cannot get away from the fact that by necessity we deal in complexity and nuance, which can make it tricky to get our message across where others may be peddling a simpler line and in a louder voice.

The answer, as argued by Full Fact’s Will Moy, lies in recognising that the ONS and UK Statistics Authority, along with other bodies such as new Office for Statistics Regulation, are part of a bigger picture including civil society groups, media outlets, businesses and ordinary citizens. Working together is crucial to help people make sense of the world around them, to continue to build the case for evidence, and to challenge those who wilfully misuse or disregard it.

That’s why, for example, the UK Statistics Authority is partnering with Full Fact, the House of Commons Library and the Economic and Social Research Council on the ‘Need to Know’ project. And it’s also why the work done by organisations such as the Royal Statistical Society to improve statistical literacy is so valuable, so we can all understand the importance of evidence and challenge its misuse.

Responding to Mr Davies’ Guardian piece, the National Statistician argued that “this is the moment when we can make our greatest contribution to society” by seizing the opportunities open to us to produce the statistics that Britain needs to answer the big questions of the day. That’s something we certainly intend to do. And working with others, we will continue to champion the value of evidence and statistics, even in our supposedly post-truth world.

Politics

Councillor Di Clements announces she is standing for council leadership

Published

7 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Bruce Sinclair Local Democracy Reporter

PEMBROKESHIRE Conservative group leader Councillor Di Clements has announced she is standing for the council leadership.

The announcement by Cllr Clements, county councillor for Martletwy and current chair of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, follows current leader Cllr David Simpson officially stating earlier this week he is to step down.

The position will be decided at the council’s forthcoming Annual General Meeting on May 10, with Cllr Clements, a councillor since 2017, the first to put her name forward.

Cllr Clements said: “It is with a profound sense of duty and optimism that I put my name forward for leader of Pembrokeshire County Council.

“Our community deserves robust leadership that not only understands our unique challenges but also the immense potential of our beautiful county. I am proud to call Pembrokeshire my home and I am committed to working hard to ensure we as councillors prioritise spending for the betterment of all residents.”

She added: “As your council leader, I pledge to ensure that taxpayer funds are spent wisely and not to shy away from the responsibility of managing council spending.

“We must ensure that every pound is invested in a way that delivers real value and benefits directly to the taxpayers of Pembrokeshire.”

‘Honour of a lifetime’

Cllr Simpson gave official confirmation he was to step down at April 22’s Cabinet meeting, saying his seven-year tenure has been “an honour of a lifetime”.

Western Telegraph: Pembrokeshire Council Leader David Simpson is to stand down. Picture: Pembrokeshire County Council
Lampeter Velfrey councillor David Simpson became leader in 2017, after leaving the-then ruling IPPG group after losing confidence in the way cabinet was being run by Cllr Jamie Adams, the leader at the time.

Chairing his final Cabinet meeting as Leader, Cllr Simpson said he was looking forward to spending more time with his family.

Cllr Simpson said: “It has been the honour of a lifetime to be the Leader of your council and the best part of the job has been meeting so many people who are committed to making this county a better place to live and work.”

Cllr Simpson will continue to serve as the county councillor for Lampeter Velfrey.

Cllr Simpson had faced a narrowly-defeated challenge to his leadership last May.

An Extraordinary Meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, on May 18, 2023, considered a Notice of Motion of no confidence in the Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Councillor David Simpson.

That no-confidence vote was 29 for, 31 against.

Health

Dental services ‘facing collapse’ in Wales

Published

26 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

DENTAL services are at risk of catastrophic collapse, with people resorting to “DIY dentistry” and pulling their own teeth with pliers, the Senedd heard.

Peter Fox warned that NHS dental services are seeing rapid decline following the Welsh Government’s introduction of a new contract in 2022.

He told the Senedd: “These contracts don’t work for dentists, nor do they work for patients,” as he highlighted a 60% fall in the number of NHS dental posts compared with 2021.

Echoing concerns raised by the British Dental Association, the Conservative MS said dental services face potential catastrophic collapse due to the contract reforms.

Mr Fox, who represents Monmouth, cautioned that patients are being left with a choice between years’-long waiting lists or paying hundreds of pounds for private care.

He said: “This lack of accessibility has led people to drastic action – from harrowing stories of people pulling out their own teeth with pliers or people being forced to take 200-mile round trips to get dental appointments. Clearly, this is just simply unacceptable in the 21st century.”

Leading a debate about primary care on April 24, Mr Fox warned GPs are also struggling due to a lack of contract funding, which is not uplifted in line with rising costs and pay uplifts.

He told MSs some GPs are having to pay staff and utility bills out of their own pockets, with practices forced to withdraw more and more services.

The Conservative said some constituents face 50-mile round trips and 50-week waits for services in hospitals that were previously carried out routinely and timely in GP practices.

Mr Fox, who led Monmouthshire council for more than a decade before being elected to the Senedd in 2021, urged the Welsh Government to urgently review GP and dental contracts.

Eluned Morgan told the chamber the majority of contacts with the NHS are in primary care – with up to one-and-a-half million contacts a month in a population of three million people.

Wales’ health secretary recognised the extreme pressure on practices, saying the contract last year provided a 5% uplift not just to GPs but also staff who work in their surgeries.

She said: “We want to reform the dental contract on a preventative basis, responding to risk and need, and we have introduced up to 300,000 appointments to new dental patients.”

Baroness Morgan, who is married to a GP, stressed the importance of other professionals in the community, such as pharmacists and opticians, to the preventative agenda.

She said most pharmacies in Wales provide a free service for 27 common ailments, helping to reduce pressure on GPs and other parts of the healthcare system.

During first minister’s questions on April 23, Sian Gwenllian said many of her constituents are unable to access public dental services – “an entirely unacceptable situation”.

The Plaid Cymru MS for Arfon raised concerns a new dental academy in Bangor closed its books to NHS patients despite promises it would help tackle a lack of public services.

Sam Rowlands, the Conservatives’ new shadow health secretary, said far too many people across north Wales do not have access to an NHS dentist.

He raised comments from Russell Gidney, chair of the Welsh general dental practice committee, warning of a rise in “DIY dentistry” due to a lack of proper access.

Vaughan Gething said the Welsh Government is committed to reforming the dental contract to unlock capacity and access to NHS services is one of the health secretary’s top priorities.

Business

Call for mobile asphalt batching plant to stay backed by planners

Published

36 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Bruce Sinclair Local Democracy Reporter

A RETROSPECTIVE call for a mobile asphalt batching plant to stay, described as “probably one of the most important applications” a Pembrokeshire town has received, has been given the go-ahead.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, meeting on April 23, was recommended to approve the application by Mr Harries for the retention of the 13.6m-high mobile plant at 10 Waterloo Industrial Estate, Pembroke Dock, despite it going against the local development plan.

Pembroke Dock Town Council had objected to the plans, citing a lack of information presented with the application, a lack of detail in respect of potential flooding and contamination, no traffic management plan, and no details of a recently erected steel building.

The application – partly in a flood zone – was before the committee as it is contrary to development plan policy but is recommended for approval, with conditions including works ceasing pending remediation if any contamination is found, and associated safety and environmental conditions.

A report for members said: “Whilst a conflict is identified with [policy], the development is a mobile asphalt batching unit, and whilst the intention is that this is for long term use it would be possible for the plant to be temporarily relocated should there be an impending flood event (tidal flooding is predictable).

“Even if the plant was to remain in the same position within the site, the majority of the plant is raised above ground level by approximately 1m and therefore any consequences of flooding would be minimal.

“On this basis it is considered that this is a material consideration of sufficient weight to outweigh any identified conflict.”

Moving approval, Pembroke Dock councillor Brian Hall said: “This is probably one of the most important applications we’ve had in Pembroke Dock, and possibly Pembrokeshire.”