Monthly Business Survey response rates and fines

FOI reference: FOI-2023-1630

You asked

Please provide:

1. The Monthly Business Survey (MBS) sample size (number), by month, by calendar year for the past five years and 2023 year to date
2. The MBS response rate by number and percentage, by month, by calendar year for the past five years and 2023 year to date
3. The number of summonses issued to respondents (businesses) who did not complete the MBS by calendar year for the past five years and 2023 year to date
4. The number of respondents (businesses) who agreed to complete all outstanding MBSs and pay costs after negotiations with the ONS Enforcement Unit, by calendar year for the past five years and 2023 year to date
5. The total sum of costs paid by respondents (businesses) who agreed to complete all outstanding MBSs and pay costs after negotiations with the ONS Enforcement Unit, by calendar year for the past five years and 2023 year to date
6. The number of successful prosecutions of those respondents (businesses) who received a summons for not completing the MBS, by calendar year for the past five years and 2023 year to date
7. Details of the fines/penalties imposed by the courts (e.g. actual individual fines/penalties imposed for each successful prosecution or total sum if only available at the aggregate level) for the successful prosecution of those respondents (businesses) who received a summons for not completing the MBS, by calendar year for the past five years and 2023 year to date
8. The total costs incurred by the Office for National Statistics (including any costs associated with the use of agents/contractors etc.) to prosecute (successfully or otherwise) those respondents (businesses) who received a summons for not completing the MBS, that proceeded to prosecution action, by calendar year for the past five years and 2023 year to date
9. The average length of time a sampled medium business (in line with ONS definition of 10-99 employment) remains selected for the Monthly Business Survey, by calendar year for the past five years and 2023 year to date
10. The process used for the "rotational basis" selection in the sample, and de-selection from the sample, of the Monthly Business Survey as referenced on this page of the ONS website: https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforbusinesses/aboutonsbusinesssurveys

We said

Thank you for your request. Please see the following answers to your questions. 

Q1.

The Monthly Business Survey (MBS) has a default sample size of approximately 34,000 businesses. There are some variations to this figure when our Business Register gets updated and new businesses refresh our sample. Consequently, at some points in the past 5 years the survey sample has risen as high as 35,057 businesses and as low as 33,616. At all times, our methodology aims to be representative of changes in the entire panel of businesses from which we select.

Q2.

The MBS response rates for the period requested can be found in the following publication: Current and historical Monthly Business Survey (services) response rates - Office for National Statistics. Please also see the associated download named 'Monthly Business Survey sample 2019-2023'.  As a rule, prior to the pandemic hitting, we aimed for a response rate in the region of 75%. This dropped during the pandemic period to the mid-sixties but has risen again in the last 18 months and now sits just shy of pre-pandemic levels.

Q3.

2018: 21 

2019: 27 

2020: 4 

2021: 0 

2022: 12 

2023: 42

Q4.

2018: 16 

2019: 21 

2020: 3 

2021: 0  

2022: 12 

2023: 23

Q5.

2018: £5,920 

2019: £7,770 

2020: £1,110 

2021: £0 

2022: £7,200 

2023: £13,800

Q6.

2018: 5 

2019: 6 

2020: 1 

2021: 0 

2022: 0 

2023: 19 

The zero figure is due to no company going as far as court and withdrew, or no cases were taken forward due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions.

Q7.

Total at aggregate level £62,300.00

Q8.

The information held in a recorded form we have in scope of this question is £32,100, which covers Solicitors costs.

Qs 9 and 10.

The standard rotation period for businesses of between 10 and 99 employment is twenty-seven selections. It is possible to rotate out before then if changes in the composition of that industry necessitate it. However, there are instances where businesses of this size stay permanently in our samples due to the nature of their principal activity and the lack of viable alternative enterprises to rotate in in their place.