You asked

Can you confirm the number of unique visitors broken down by each day from 1st January 2021 to 21st April 2021 that you recorded (via Google Analytics) to the 1st page of the actual census i.e. the page census.gov.uk/en/start page?

We said

​The data you have requested about pageviews for the census website are operational data for our data-collection service. It would not be appropriate for us to release this detailed management information while this service is operational. Later in the year, once we have closed down the online census collection system, we are planning to publish a short report which will include operational data concerning how respondents interacted with the census digital service.  This will include information on page views.  We are committed to doing this as part of our mission to help improve digital services across government through sharing our learnings.

As such, this information requested 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.

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 and, of particular note in this instance, to wait until the 2021 Census collection operation is complete. It would be unreasonable to consider disclosure when to do so could undermine our functions.

This exemption is subject to a public interest test. Information reported about the Census 2021 needs to be complete and accurate, so that the success of the Census programme can be accurately monitored. Whilst 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, early release of this information could negatively impact the Census campaign. This would arguably not be in the public interest, as the Census is vital for enabling the government and local authorities to obtain a detailed picture of our society and subsequently plan for, and fund, local services, which directly benefit the public.

Therefore, in the case, we have found the public interest to fall in favour of withholding this information until the completion of Census collection, when we will publish it as part of a larger report detailing how the Census collection digital service was built and used.