What are the benefits of using the data held at the ONS Virtual Microdata Laboratory?
As noted in FAQ 1.3, in workplaces where managers consented to the linking of WERS data with other data sources (MLINKDAT=Yes), the Office for National Statistics linked the Cross-Section and Panel data from WERS 2004 with longitudinal data on organisation performance collected as part of the Annual Business Inquiry. These linked data will only ever be available via the Virtual Microdata Laboratory operated by the Business Data Linking section at the Office for National Statistics. Users wishing to access the linked WERS-ABI data can therefore only do so at the Virtual Microdata Laboratory. While data from the Cross-Section Financial Performance Questionnaire (FPQ) has been available from the Economic and Social Data Service from April 2007, using the linked WERS-ABI data can allow users to fill gaps in the FPQ data, therefore increasing the number of observations available for analysis. Another advantage is that the ABI sometimes provides more timely data. For further information plea
