New Year's Honours for Five ONS Execs

Five employees of the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) have been recognised in the New Year's Honours list, including Alex Lambert OBE - Deputy Director, Covid Infection Survey Operations, for services to statistics and public health in the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ONS is the UK's largest independent producer of official statistics and the recognised national statistical institute of the UK, covering topics including the economy, population, public health and climate change. According to National Statistician Professor Sir Ian Diamond, the honours recognise the individual's contributions to the work of the ONS in monitoring the impacts of the Covid pandemic and the successful organisation of the 2021 England and Wales Census during a period of national lockdown.

Under Lambert's watch, ONS launched the Coronavirus Infection Survey across England only a week after receiving the government's requirement, and to date the survey has taken seven million swab tests and recorded 1.5 million blood tests across the UK, with data from the survey being instrumental in national policy decisions. Will Marks, Senior Policy Liaison, ONS / Cabinet Office, has received an OBE for public service, after contributing to the analysis produced by the Cabinet Office Covid Taskforce, and helping ONS provide a picture of the size and demographic composition of dozens of vulnerable population groups.

Owen Abbott, Head, Census and Population Statistics Methodology, has received an OBE for services to population statistics and the census, having contributed to the success of the 2001 and 2011 censuses. Henrie Brown, Business Operations Lead, receives her OBE for services to the delivery and transformation of the census of England and Wales from 1981 to 2021, having contributed to the capability that stored census data electronically for the first time, and helped lead, design, and build public support and print services up until last year's census. Finally, Arron Maspero, Programme Delivery Manager, Census Field Devices, has been awarded an MBE for services to census 2021 field operations, helping provide the 35,000 strong field force with the tools to target the widest possible range of people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sir Ian comments: 'These awards recognise significant individual achievements in two vitally important areas. Measuring the prevalence and impact of Covid 19 since it first emerged has been an exceptionally demanding task for all involved. Meanwhile the successful Census field operation - delivered in difficult and unpredictable circumstances - means we will have the best possible data on our population and its needs as we plan our public services for the years ahead. I applaud all those honoured'.

Web site: www.ons.gov.uk .