Andrew Dilnot named chair of UK Statistics Authority

He replaces Sir Michael Scholar, who has held the job for four years. Dilnot’s term is for five years.

Dilnot (pictured) is the principal of St Hugh’s College, Oxford, but is set to become warden of Nuffield College in September.

He is perhaps best known for his BBC Radio 4 series on numbers and statistics, More or Less, and he is also the co-author of The Tiger That Isn’t, written with Michael Blastland.

Dilnot said: “Statistics are vital in helping all of us understand the world around us; and almost all the decisions that we make are, or can be, informed by statistics.

“As chair of the UK Statistics Authority, I want to be both a guardian and a champion of official statistics. Public trust and confidence in official statistics are vital. If statistics are trusted they will be used.”