Cross-cutting issues - Geography
During 2002 - 2003 the Scottish Executive consulted widely with users on the development of a small area geography (data zones) for use in Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics to allow statistics across a number of policy areas to be readily (and regularly) available on a consistent and stable geography.
The publication of the data zones in February 2004 signals a major step forward in the Scottish Executive and partners' ability to monitor and develop policy at a small area level. Through Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics data zones will increasingly become the core geography for disseminating small area statistics across most policy areas including information about benefits, education, health and the labour market. Statistics relating to data zones will become available through Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics and the Scottish Multiple Index of Deprivation during late Spring 2004.
The data zone geography covers the whole of Scotland and nests within local authority boundaries. Data zones are groups of Census output areas which have populations of between 500 and 1,000 household residents, and some effort has been made to respect physical boundaries. In addition, they have compact shape and contain households with similar social characteristics. There are 6505 data zones.
The Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics Data Zones Background Information report sets out background information on the development and use of data zones.
The comparable geography in England and Wales is the Super Output Area.
Earlier reports covering the development of data zones include:
Please email any comments to neighbourhood.statistics@scotland.gsi.gov.uk