Dear Emma

Conclusions of OSR’s review of gender identity estimates for England and Wales from Census 2021

I am writing in response to your letter of 5 September 2024 in which you request that the gender identity estimates from Census 2021 should be no longer accredited official statistics and instead should be classified as official statistics in development. You explain that this change will better reflect the innovative nature of the statistics and the evolving understanding of gender identity.

You will be aware that OSR had been reviewing these statistics. As part of our review process, we invited ONS to set out to us its view on the quality of these statistics, especially in light of the recent publication of results from the Scottish Census. The views you shared in your letter were important considerations in our regulatory decision.

OSR supports your proposal to publish the Census 2021 gender identity statistics for England and Wales as official statistics in development rather than accredited official statistics.

We found that the issues highlighted in this report are unique to the statistics on gender identity and therefore all other outputs from the Census 2021 in England and Wales are unaffected by this decision and remain designated as accredited official statistics (called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007).

We have set out the full details of our regulatory decision in the final report of our review of gender identity in the 2021 England and Wales Census, which we have published today.

Alongside our decision, the report includes recommendations for additional work for ONS and the Government Statistical Service (GSS). These recommendations focus on the actions we consider ONS must take to help users of the census gender identity statistics understand their strengths and limitations, and the development work that the GSS needs to undertake on the gender identity harmonised standard.

The publication of our final report concludes our review. I would like to thank ONS for its positive engagement with us. My team is available to provide further advice as needed to support you and the GSS in delivering the recommendations.

I am also copying this letter to Professor Sir Ian Diamond, National Statistician, Jon Wroth-Smith, Director of Census Statistics (National Records Scotland), Stephanie Howarth, Chief Statistician (Welsh Government) and the ONS Statistics Head of Profession Office.

Yours sincerely

Ed Humpherson