[This is addressed specifically to members of the Radical Statistics group,
and raises a question we were unable to discuss properly at last Saturday's
AGM]

Over the last couple of months, a number of requests for advice have come
in, generally sent to [log in to unmask] -- so all members of the
troika receive them:

=> A researcher at an international human rights organisation asked us
about sources of statistics on violence against women.

=> A member of the Campaign Group of MPs contacted us raising the potential
for collaborating in research on issues like (deep breath) "PFI/PPP
schemes, the crisis in pensions, the funding of higher education,
foundation hospitals, local and sustainable food systems, global trade
imbalances, climate change, the use of the World Bank and the IMF to
support the rich rather than the poor, the future and viability of the EU,
the economics behind wars, global energy policies, and the success or
otherwise of development aid programmes. "

=> Maybe the best example:  someone involved with "a fairly ad-hoc bunch of
people - stallholders, shoppers, the one opposition councillor and the sikh
temple - who are trying to prevent our local street market from being sold
to developers by the council. The Council has promised a questionnaire
survey.  We are thinking of getting in first and have started designing
questions, but we do realise that there are technical aspects to running a
survey so that its findings can be considered valid."

How should we deal with these?  The troika consists of only 3 or 4 people,
and our expertise is limited.  In some cases, we may suggest that the
request for advice be sent on to this list (although we also have to point
out that this is a fairly public forum, which is why the above examples are
a little vague about who sent them).

The final example is maybe important because it raises the question of what
we are here to do -- at this stage, at least, there is not much scope for
intellectual debate, and if it had come from an organisation with
significant funds we would maybe have tried passing it on to someone who
works as a statistical consultant.  However, this group did not sound as if
they had much resources.

Anyway, so far:

=> We are actively discussing what to do with the contact from the MP,
which relates closely to some of the issues discussed at the AGM.  This
e-mail is really more about the other kinds of approach we get.

=> We hope we have helped the human rights organisation.  One of the things
we did was look to see who wrote on crime statistics in the "Statistics and
Society" book we did -- seven years ago -- and passed the request on to them.

=> I have written a short initial reply to the market traders, mainly
suggesting they need to think not just about the questions to ask, but who
they wanted to ask, and how (i.e. basic sampling issues).  However, if they
get back to us with more specific questions about questionnaires we will
really need to find someone else to help.

Are there Radstats members who would be willing to be included on a list
held by the troika as willing to offer free advice, mainly by e-mail, on
particular topics?  We do have an existing list of members' interests, but
cannot assume that everyone on the list is willing to help in this
way.  Should Radstats be actively promoting itself as a source of advice to
community groups?

Best wishes,

Humphrey Southall (for the troika)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ====================================
Humphrey Southall
Reader in Geography/Director,
Great Britain Historical GIS Project
Department of Geography, University of Portsmouth
Buckingham Building, Lion Terrace, Portsmouth PO1 3HE

GIS Project Office: (023) 9284 2500
Home office:  (020) 8853 0396

Web site:       http://www.VisionOfBritain.org.uk
About us:       http://www.gbhgis.org

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