Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 31 July (HL9752) and their response to the report by the Women and Equalities Committee, Race Disparity Audit, published by that Committee on 11 September, when they will adopt the same categories as are used in the Census as the minimum standard for data collection on ethnicity across Government departments; and whether this will include specific categories for Gypsies and Irish Travellers.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The ethnicity data published on the Ethnicity Facts and Figures website includes data from the Census, published official statistics, numerous Government surveys and Departments’ own administrative records.
Currently, the website has 52 measures (web pages) that present data using the detailed classification of ethnicity developed for the 2011 Census, which includes Irish Traveller and Gypsy/Roma Travellers (GRT). However, figures for the GRT ethnic group in some of these measures were suppressed for reasons of confidentiality protection and/or because the numbers were too small to enable robust estimates to be produced.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for the design of the Census, including advising Parliament on the format of a question about ethnicity.
ONS also has a leadership role across the Government Statistical Service, to encourage those conducting household surveys to use survey questions and output classifications that are harmonised with the Census approach, and across government more generally in relation to the use of harmonised approaches (to data collection) on administrative systems
The Cabinet Office is working with the ONS on how to support the widespread adoption of the detailed ethnicity classification that will be used in the 2021 Census
The Cabinet Office's Race Disparity Unit is also taking steps to enhance the degree of harmonisation in ethnicity data presented on the Ethnicity Facts and Figures website, for example by requesting new analyses to match the high level groups that represent the current harmonised ethnicity standard.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the indication in the Office for National Statistics' Statistical Bulletin Household disposable income and inequality in the UK: financial year ending 2017, that the Department for Work and Pensions' Households below average income is a "better source for looking at income-based analysis" of inequality.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and I will place a copy of their letter in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Resolution Foundation Unequal Results; and whether they intend to review the treatment of top incomes in measurements of inequality.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and I will place a copy of their letter in the Library of the House.