Kevin Phelan

Central Statistial Office of Ireland

1. Status and update on progress of business register.

Further progress has been made in improving the quality and coverage of the Irish Business Register over the past 12 months.

Over the past number of years, we have moved from an annual inquiry to a sub-annual inquiry, in 2003 we conducted three births inquiries while in 2004 we will conduct a quarterly births inquiry.

Work has commenced on using employer data as a source of deaths and updates to the Register, this will be expanded upon under section 2.

2. Issues and problems resolved during the year

(1)  Scanning and Imaging

At the latter end of 2003, scanning was introduced as the method of data capture. This project was successfully implemented on schedule and has lead to some efficiencies in processing forms but not to the degree that was expected. Over the last number of inquiries we have modified the form slightly, anticipating that such modifications would improve efficiencies but we are still not completely satisfied with the results.

However a major advantage of scanning the forms is that we now have a scanned image linked to each enterprise in the survey.

As part of the project to assign NACE 2007 codes to each enterprise on the Register, it will be necessary to survey a substantial number of enterprises, scanning will play a major role in updating enterprises.

(2)  Use of employer data (PREM) from the Revenue Commissioners

Since the last roundtable, we have received additional files from the Revenue Commissioners relating to employer data. The type of information contains includes name,address, registration details and the number of employees.

A major problem that CSO faces is that it lacks a comprehensive source of deaths. In the past we used VAT deregistrations as a method of ceasing enterprises however this was found to be flawed. We have commenced a project since last year, which uses PREM data, combined with VAT data as a source of deaths.

Not all enterprises on the Register have a VAT number due to exemptions etc. The first stage in the project was to examine those cases that did have a VAT number.  Initially we checked to ensure that all VAT numbers on the Register were correct, we found a certain percentage were incorrect and these cases were amended. Once we were satisfied, we then matched the VAT file with the PREM file and then in turn we matched this file with the enterprise file. We then isolated those cases that were live on the enterprise file but deregistered on both the VAT and PREM file.

From this work, we identified approximately 19,000 cases that were potentially falsely active on the Register which equates to about 8% of current live cases. The next stage of this work was to manually examine all cases that had employment of greater than 10 of which there were about 2000 cases. When all cases had been checked, we found that about 55% were falsely active and were subsequently ceased. This figure was lower than expected and on examination of the remainder we found that about 60% had multiple VAT numbers attached to the enterprise that were live cases.

Prior to the start of this stage plan it was expected that we would automatically cease enterprises with less than 10 employed. However as the cessation rate was lower than expected we are now examining manually those cases employing between 5 and 9 employed. This work will be completed in a number of months.  At that stage we will examine the rate of cessation and decide on the next course of action. It will not be possible to examine all 19,000 cases so its possible that we will automatically cease all cases employing less than 5 persons.

Parallel to this work, we are now examining enterprises that do not have a VAT number; the first step is to match the enterprises against the VAT file, where there is a reasonable match we will add the VAT number. Where no match can be found, we will match the enterprise file against the PREM file and where there is a reasonable match we will add the PREM number. Where no further match can be found we will match the enterprise file against an Income /Corporation Tax file and where there is a reasonable match we will add the Income Tax number.

The point of this exercise will be to ensure that as many enterprises as possible can be linked to an administrative number.  Once this work is completed we will examine cases that are live on the enterprise file but deregistered on the administrative files.

3. Issues and problems unresolved during the year.

(1) There has been ongoing discussions at departmental level regarding the introduction of a Business Services Number (BSN) through out the Irish public service for the past number of years. This number would be generated by the Company Registrations Office for companies and by the Revenue Commissioners for all other entities. It had been planned to introduce this BSN by the end of the 1st quarter of 2003, however this plan has been modified and it is expected that a business registration service will commence by December.  At this stage it is unclear as to how beneficial this service will be to CSO¡¯s Business Register.

(2) As part of the PREM project, enterprises will be updated using the employment variables on the file. Until the PREM work referenced above is completed, we will not be in a position to carry out this task.

4. Future Work

(1) Many of the computer systems used by CSO reside on mainframe systems and there is a clear commitment to move from these mainframe systems by the May of 2006. All business surveys will be re-engineered using client server technology with their sample drawn from the Business Register.  Work has commenced on this project.

(2) It is expected in 2005, that we will commence surveying those enterprises that do not have a business description in preparation for the implementation of NACE 2007.

(3)  Work on the PREM project will continue, it is planned to use PREM data as a source of births from Q2 of 2005 onwards.

(4) A project has recently commenced in the Office examining the statistical potential of administrative records, a report will be published towards the end of this year. Issues raised from this project will need to be examined in 2005.