Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 27 October (HL2434), on what basis a 70 per cent completion rate has been determined as a necessary criterion for publication of  data; and whether they will deposit a copy of the guidance or document specifying a requirement for a 70 per cent completion rate threshold to be met before data are published in the Library of the House.

Details of the plan for the publication of ethnicity data for Universal Credit claimants can be found under the heading of ‘Ethnicity for Universal Credit claimants’ in the background information section of the ‘Universal Credit Statistics Background Information & Methodology’ document on the GOV.UK website which can be accessed in the Library of the House.

For reporting on and interpreting non-mandatory self-declared diversity fields, the minimum threshold set by the Department for Work and Pensions is a completion rate of 70%. The level of non-completion represents both the level of uncertainty around the figures and also means the likelihood of responder bias is more prominent. The effect of responder bias could be quite substantial, yet unquantifiable. Therefore, any attempt to infer meaning from these figures until they reach a minimum level of completion would likely be misleading.

The minimum level of 70% has been determined by analysis of the completion rates for those on Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Ethnicity breakdowns have been published for JSA since August 2007, with a completion rate at the time of 90%, and for ESA since November 2008, with a completion rate of 74%. Due to this the threshold of 70% was chosen as the minimum level required before publication can be considered. Once the minimum threshold is achieved analysis will be performed to check the data is of sufficient quality to publish.

Meanwhile, work is on-going to improve the completion rate. The approach to capturing ethnicity information is being addressed to ensure that claimants are supported in providing the information. Claimants can be reassured that ethnicity information is used solely for statistical purposes in an aggregate fashion, non-attributable to individuals