UK regulator says it is 'critical' ONS reverses data quality slump

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Office for National Statistics must take urgent steps within the next four weeks to reverse a fall in the quality of key economic statistics including those for unemployment, a regulator said on Monday.

"It is critical that ONS takes decisive action to restore confidence. ONS should publish a fully resourced plan to recover its social survey operation and reduce risk in its business survey operation ... within four weeks of the publication of this review," the Office for Statistics Regulation said.

(Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by William Schomberg)