FOI REF: FOI/2022/4724
You asked
With regards to the 'blog-post at https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2022/11/25/how-am-i-represented-in-census-2021-data/
I am writing to request some further details to which the 'blog-post refers, with specific reference to the sentence "For the religion question, the hundreds of thousands of write-in answers were grouped into 144 different categories.".
What is the exact number of "write-in answers" for the religion question?
What are the names of the "144 different categories"?
What is the exact number of "write-in answers" allocated to each of these 144 "categories"?
How do these 144 categories map to the "57 religious groups"?
What is the name of the "category" to which "freedom" has been allocated? (Your response has specified that the relevant "religious group" to which "freedom" has been allocated is 'No religion: No religion', but it occurs to me that there may be more than one "category" that maps to this "group".)
We said
Thank you for your enquiry,
- What is the exact number of "write-in answers" for the religion question?
In 2021, 404,927 people (0.7% of the overall population of England and Wales) wrote-in a response which did not map to any of the tick-box options.
- What are the names of the "144 different categories"?
We will be publishing the full list of categories (including the "144 different categories") for the religion question in phase 3 of Census 2021 according to our release plans. This publication will be similar to the '2011 Census Variable and Classification Information: Part 6' of the 'variable and classifications'user guide published for the 2011 census.
As such, the information you have 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.
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 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.
- What is the exact number of "write-in answers" allocated to each of these 144 "categories"?
We do not plan to publish write-in counts for each of the "144 categories" because there will be some groups in the categories which do not have enough people responding. Write-in counts provide information about how many people wrote-in a particular answer to a question and are not population estimates. They do not represent the number or proportion of the population who identified with that answer. To produce population estimates, individual responses to census questions are collated, categorised and a number of additional statistical processes are applied to adjust for people who did not respond to the Census and to ensure confidentiality. If we were to release this information, it would undermine the Code of Practice for Official Statistics and our statutory function to produce high quality, valuable and trust-worthy statistics that serve the public good. We therefore find this information is exempt under Section 36(2)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
This exemption is subject to a public interest test. Whilst we appreciate arguments in favour of transparency about the data we hold, we must consider the public interest in maintaining the trust of the government and the public in us to produce reliable, good quality, official statistical information. Census statistics help to provide the government with population based information so that they can ensure appropriate policies and funding are allocated to different areas of the country. If we were to produce data that is not accurate, valuable, or reliable, even on an ad hoc basis, then this has the potential to undermine public confidence in the information we supply. Consequently, this runs the risk of the government and the public no longer relying on our statistical outputs to make well-informed decisions for the public good. On balance, the public interest falls in favour of withholding the requested information in this case.
We have produced a detailed classification of population estimates for 57 religious group in the Religion (detailed) classification. This 57-group classification was reviewed and developed on:
- new user needs (identified through stakeholder engagement and a public consultation)
- the groups published for the 2011 census data (to help with consistency for comparing data between censuses)
- the number of people who responded with the same identity (to ensure confidentiality in our published data
- How do these 144 categories map to the "57 religious groups"?
Where a religious or non-religious group from the list of 144 categories has been identified through user need and has large enough counts, this has been included within the Religion (detailed) classification.
Our phase 3 release of Census 2021 will give clarity about how the data was mapped and further details of the methodology used. Timing for this release can be found in our release plans.
As such, the information you have 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. The same public interest arguments apply as stated in response to question 2.
- What is the name of the "category" to which "freedom" has been allocated? (Your response has specified that the relevant "religious group" to which "freedom" has been allocated is 'No religion: No religion', but it occurs to me that there may be more than one "category" that maps to this "group".)
People who wrote in "Freedom" were included directly in the "No religion" category, along with a number of other write-in answers. For the religion (detailed) classificationan additional five categories were grouped with "No religion". Populations estimates were published for "No religion: No religion" alongside the five other individual "No religion" categories:
- "No religion: No religion"
- "No religion: Agnostic",
- "No religion: Atheist",
- "No religion: Free Thinker",
- "No religion: Humanist"
- "No religion: Realist".