Information pertaining to the ONS Roundtable on 24 June 2020

You asked

Please provide details of the individuals who attended the meeting convened by ONS on 24 June 2020 regarding the proposed guidance for the sex question in the 2021 census.

Please provide all correspondence between ONS and those individuals with regard to the meeting both prior to and following the meeting.

We said

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request about individuals who attended the meeting convened by ONS on 24 June 2020 regarding the proposed guidance for the sex question in the 2021 Census and all correspondence between the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and those individuals with regard to the meeting both prior to and following the meeting.

Attendees of the meeting convened by the ONS on 24 June 2020 included representatives from:

Fair play for women

Government Equalities Office (GEO)

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

NHS England

LGBT Foundation

Anglia Ruskin University

Stonewall

LGBT National Health Advisor

UCL Institute of Education

University of Edinburgh

University of Essex

University of Kent

University of Manchester

University of Oxford

Imperial College London

University of Chester

Kings College London

London School of Economics

Iain Bell, ONS

Susan Mangles, ONS

Unfortunately, we would be unable to disclose the names of the individuals who attended the Roundtable meeting, as this would constitute personal data. This information is therefore exempt under Section 40 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

We have conducted a search of all information we hold, and the requested information can be found in the downloadable PDF files, named 0640_Roundtable_Correspondence_Part_1_Redacted_v.4.pdf, 0640_Roundtable_Correspondence_Part_2_Redacted_v.3.pdf and 0640_Roundtable_Correspondence_Part_3_Redacted.pdf. These pieces of correspondence have been redacted to remove personal information (in line with Section 40 (2) of the FOIA) and information outside of the scope of the request.

We have also attached a document named PO7_Attachment_Draft Note of the Roundtable on the guidance on the 2021_Redacted. This was an attachment included in the requested correspondence. This is labelled with a number (PO7), which corresponds to the number of the relevant email in Part One of the correspondence.

Although out of scope, for completeness we have attached the circulated final note of the meeting following comments made by attendees on the draft note. This is document 0640_Final_Minutes_For_Roundtable_v.2_Redacted.

Please do not hesitate to contact us directly on pop.info@ons.gov.uk if you require anything further.