FOI Ref: FOI/2023/4765
You asked
Please could I request how many fines up to £2500 have been issued from not filing out of the business survey request department.
For year 2021 to 2022 and 2002 to 2023.
May I also request how many companies have complained against the enforcement pending letter as above years.
We said
Thank you for your enquiry,
Information gathered from ONS surveys is vital for producing economic statistics and government policies, including those on support and assistance for businesses. The ONS is mindful of the burden on respondents and the vast majority of survey returns are submitted without complaint.
In the calendar year 2021, ONS made a policy decision to not carry out enforcement activity due to difficulties associated with the COVID pandemic.
We resumed activity in 2022, when 88 prosecutions were raised -- resulting in 73 businesses settling out of court with costs and 15 being found guilty and fined.
Thus far in 2023, 13 prosecutions have been raised, resulting in 6 businesses settling out of court with costs and 7 being found guilty and fined. It should be noted that when enforcement action commences the vast majority of businesses comply in the early stages of the process -- thus negating the need for prosecutions to be raised.
We have no specific management information relating to the enforcement pending letter. However, for the period 2021-23 inclusive, we received a total of 144 expressions of dissatisfaction from respondents in relation to the tone of our correspondence. To put this into context, between April 2021 and March 2022 alone over 2.5 million survey questionnaires were sent out to businesses by the ONS.