Head of the Analysis Function and National Statistician
The National Statistician is the UK Statistics Authority’s and the Government’s principal adviser on official statistics.
They are the Head of the Government Statistical Service and the Government Analysis Function.
They are also a member of the UK Statistics Authority Board as Chief Executive and Permanent Secretary.
Professor Sir Ian Diamond
Professor Sir Ian Diamond FBA FRSE FAcSS became National Statistician on 22 October 2019. The National Statistician is a Crown appointment as the Government’s principal adviser on official statistics.
Sir Ian previously served as a non-executive member of the UK Statistics Authority Board from June 2018 to August 2019. He was Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen from 2010 to 2018. Previous to this he was Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research (ESRC) Council and, from 2004 to 2009, Chair of the Research Councils UK Executive Group (2004-2009). Before joining the ESRC, Sir Ian was Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Southampton, where he had been for most of his career. Sir Ian is Chair of Plan International UK and a Board member of UK Research and Innovation.
As National Statistician, Sir Ian is Head of the Analysis Function (AF). In this role Sir Ian advises ministers, the Cabinet Secretary and senior officials on the production, dissemination and use of analysis across Government. Sir Ian is very keen to promote and support the use of innovative analytical capability across Government.