Department for Business and Trade: Ethnic Groups
(asked on 6th March 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what evidence his Department submitted to the Office for National Statistics' review of the ethnicity harmonised standard, including in relation to the recording of Sikhs and Jewish people as ethnic groups.
This question was answered on 13th March 2026
A review of the harmonised standard for ethnicity data collection is underway by the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation team. A public consultation between October 2025 and February 2026 sought views from a wide range of users, including Government Departments and public bodies, to understand user needs for ethnic group data. This was supplemented by a programme of engagement activity, including with representatives of all government departments. ONS have committed to providing an initial response to the public consultation in April, and a full report on the consultation in late summer 2026 will include more detailed information on the departments that responded to the consultation.
A review of the harmonised standard for ethnicity data collection is underway by the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation team. A public consultation between October 2025 and February 2026 sought views from a wide range of users, including Government Departments and public bodies, to understand user needs for ethnic group data. This was supplemented by a programme of engagement activity, including with representatives of all government departments. ONS have committed to providing an initial response to the public consultation in April, and a full report on the consultation in late summer 2026 will include more detailed information on the departments that responded to the consultation.