You asked
Please provide the following information:
- Please state whether the Office of National Statistics ("ONS") has classified Voluntary Grammar Schools or Grant-Maintained Integrated Schools in Northern Ireland as Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
- If ONS has such a classification, for what purposes are such schools to be treated as Non-Departmental Public Bodies?
- If ONS has such a classification, did ONS introduce such requirement or policy as a result of a decision of another Department or other Public Body?
- If so, which other Department or Public Body?
- What particular facts and circumstances did ONS rely on in deciding to classify such schools as Non-Departmental Public Bodies?
- Please identify and provide copies of all documents held by ONS relating to the classification of such schools as Non-Departmental Public Bodies.
We said
Thank you for your request.
In response to all six questions, the ONS classifies organisations to sectors of the economy for National Accounts purposes - please see the following link: Economic statistics classifications. These sectors include central government, local government and the private sector. A Non-Departmental Public Body is an independent public sector body with a national or regional remit and carries out a specific function at arms-length from ministers. This specific body status is established by the relevant responsible minister, not ONS - please see the following link: Public bodies: A guide for departments - Chapter 2. ONS has not classified Voluntary Grammar Schools or Grant-Maintained Integrated Schools in Northern Ireland, but they are currently reported in their sponsor department (the Department of Education NI) reports as Other public sector bodies.
https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/annual-report-and-accounts#toc-0
We hope you find this information helpful.