FOI Reference: FOI/2022/4284
You asked
Please provide:
- How many Ethnic minorities there are in England? Number and % - 2011 vs 2021 (is it increasing)
- English proficiency vs 2011 – Is it increasing or decreasing?
- What percent of population speak English as first language (in 2011 this was 91% - need to see if this has ^ or decreased?
In 2011, all usual residents in 91 per cent (21.3 million) of households spoke English as a main language. In a further four per cent (868,000) of households at least one adult spoke English as a main language and in one per cent (182,000) of households no adults but at least one child spoke English as a main language. In the remaining four per cent (1.0 million) of households there were no residents who had English as a main language3. – Is there a 2021 version of this info?
People who reported a main language other than English1 were asked how well they spoke English. While 7.7 per cent of the population (4.2 million) of England and Wales had a main language other than English, only 1.3 per cent (726,000) of the population reported that they could not speak English well and 0.3 per cent (138,000) reported that they could not speak English at all2. The proportions were highest in London with nearly 4.1 per cent of the population (320,000 people) unable to speak English well or not at all followed by 2.0 per cent in the West Midlands. The Northeast had the lowest proportion of people who were unable to speak English well or not at all. – Is there a 2021 version of this info?
We said
Thank you for your request.
On 28 June 2022 we published the first results from Census 2021 for England and Wales. The results included rounded population and household estimates for England and Wales, for local authorities.
From October to the end of the year 2022, we will publish a series of data and supporting commentary groups by a similar theme, known as topic summaries. Ethnic group and language will be included in the summaries.
As such, this information is considered exempt under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future. Furthermore, as a central government department and producer of official statistics, we need to have the freedom to be able to determine our own publication timetables. This is to allow us to deal with the necessary preparation, administration and context of publications. It would be unreasonable to consider disclosure when to do so would undermine our functions.
This exemption is subject to a public interest test. We recognise the desirability of information being freely available and this is considered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) when publication schedules are set in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The need for timely data must be balanced against the practicalities of applying statistical skill and judgement to produce the high quality, assured data needed to inform decision making. If this balance is incorrectly applied, then we run the risk of decisions being based on inaccurate data which is arguably not in the public interest. This will have an impact on public trust in official statistics in a time when accuracy of official statistics is more important to the public than ever before. Our release plans are available.
Published Census statistics will be available from our website once they are released. Alternatively, they will also be made available from our Customer Service desk: Census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk