(2) what estimate the Office for National Statistics has made of the number of UK residents who consider themselves to be (a) gay male, (b) bisexual male, (c) bisexual female and (d) transgender; and what methodology the Office uses to make such estimates.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 3 March 2008:
The National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent questions asking what consultation the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has undertaken on the inclusion of a question relating to sexuality on the 2011 Census and what estimate has been made of the number of UK residents who consider themselves to be (a) gay male, (b) male bisexual, (c) female bisexual and (d) transgender; and what methodology the Office uses to make any such estimates. I am replying in her absence. (190327, 190328)
ONS has undertaken extensive consultation with users of census data regarding the topics and questions to be asked in the 2011 Census. A formal public consultation was carried out from May to August 2005, the details of which are available on the National Statistics website at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/consultations/2011Census.asp
The ONS response to the consultation was published in March 2006 and details can be found at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/consultations/2011Census_response.asp
Consultation has continued through public road shows, the National Statistics website, and meetings with stakeholders and user groups.
The consultation identified an increasing requirement for information on sexual identity. ONS regards meeting this requirement as a priority but takes the view that there are better ways than the census to collect timely and reliable information on sexual identity. A paper setting out the rationale is in the response link shown above.
The Office for National Statistics does not at present produce estimates of the number of UK residents who consider themselves to be gay, bisexual or transgender.
In view of the clear need for information about sexual identity ONS has initiated a Sexual Identity Project with the aim of developing a question (or set of questions) on sexual identity which can be used on social surveys and for equality monitoring purposes. A number of focus group studies have been carried out as well as a series of trials on the National Statistics Omnibus Survey. Transgender relates to gender not sexual identity and is not covered by the project.
As acceptable question(s) are developed, after testing they will be added to the Integrated Household Survey (IHS) in 2009.
Information on the Sexual Identity Project detailing the work completed so far and outlining a future programme of work can be found on the National Statistics website at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/data/measuring-equality/sexual-identity/default.asp