FOI Ref: FOI/2023/4861
You asked
I am currently researching the number of non-EU immigrants in the United Kingdom with EU passports. You recently released very helpful data giving the number of EU passport holders for the top 60 countries of birth in the United Kingdom in the recent release. However, some countries outside the top 60 countries of birth still have a significant number of EU passport holders born there.
Would it be possible to have a list of the number of EU passport holders for each country of birth please, including those outside the top 60 countries of birth?
Would it be possible to have, from the 2021 census data, a list of the number of people born outside of the EU (excluding the United Kingdom) for passport holders of each EU nationality please?
We said
Thank you for your enquiry.
The data set you reference is from the "The changing picture of long-term international migration, England and Wales: Census 2021" analysis released on 27 January. A further breakdown is not yet available.
Analysis releases are distinct from the topic summaries and multivariate tables. They are planned in advance and offer a wider view from the census outputs as they draw out the story behind the data instead of focusing on the nuances in the data itself by incorporating other data sources.
Multivariate data, which combines variables in a single dataset, such as country of birth by passports, is planned for publication on 28 March 2023, subject to disclosure control.
As such, the information you have requested is 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.
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 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.
We are introducing new functionality for Census 2021 data that will allow you to make your own datasets, as well as view and download ready-made datasets. Please see the release calendar for more information: Data combining multiple variables, England and Wales: Census 2021.
We are also planning a more detailed country of birth classification for Phase 2 as we did for Census 2011 data. For an indication of timescales for Phase 2 and 3 releases, please see our Release plans webpage. However, not every variable classification is suitable for flexible table generation for a number of reasons; the classification is too complicated or obscure and so would be difficult to construct or; it would be unlikely to provide much detail for users.