Straight Statistics is a pressure group whose aim is to detect and expose the distortion and misuse of statistical information, and identify those responsible. It has been formed by a group of legislators, statisticians and journalists, chaired by the Labour peer Lord Lipsey.

Its aims are to:

• Draw attention to the inaccurate reporting of statistics in the media, and encourage better standards by training and example.
• Ensure that Governments follow the Code of Practice on the use of official statistics and the guidance issued by Sir Gus O’Donnell in February 2009.
• Monitor the use by local government, advertisers and industry of claims based on statistical or numerical information.
• Examine the statistical basis of claims made in scientific and medical journals, in the interests of greater clarity and sounder reasoning.

It welcomes articles from anybody with a point to make, and invites comments on Articles, Blogs and In the News items. Defamatory, offensive, or irrelevant postings will be deleted. In the event of a serious challenge on a point of fact, Straight Statistics undertakes to remove the item at issue until the facts can be resolved.

Straight Statistics is a company limited by guarantee, governed by a board of directors and supported by an Advisory Council. It is backed by a Grant for Research and Innovation from the Nuffield Foundation, awarded in December 2008.

For more information on the Directors and Council, click here.