Thread by @mbmpolicy

This morning @NatRecordsScot are giving evidence on plans for the 2021 census to @SP_European. Convener @JoanMcAlpine asks which data users have requested guidance for the sex question that instructs users to answer based on their self-declared gender identity.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine JM highlights concerns raised by 80 senior academics in a letter to the census authorities about the proposed guidance, and asks why NRS are choosing to ignore these concerns: parliament.scot/S5_European/Ge…

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine JM goes on to ask NRS which data users have requested guidance that instructs respondents to answer the sex question based on their gender identity. Pete Whitehouse declines to name any data users saying he does not want to mention any individuals.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine JM asks NRS whether they have considered possibility that some people may boycott the census, as 3% of the sample of 2,000 members of the general population involved in ScotCen testing stated they would consider not answering a sex question based on self-declared gender identity.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine Questions from @ClaireBakerMSP who asks if NRS' position is that guidance based on self-identification (of sex) is no different from the general principle of self-completion nature of census, why bother with guidance at all? Why was it introduced in 2011?

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP NRS responds saying that the reason that guidance was introduced in 2011 was representations made by trans groups. (MBM has written previously about the 2011 guidance which was introduced without being subject to an equality impact assessment or scrutiny: murrayblackburnmackenzie.org/2018/12/16/a-r…)

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp asks NRS to confirm that from 1801 to 2001 there was no guidance accompanying the sex question therefore the 2011 guidance was an outlier. NRS confirms that this is the case.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp Ms Ewing goes on to reiterate earlier question from @ClaireBakerMSP: wants to know why the NRS did not test the sex question with no guidance (NRS tested two types of guidance: (1) asking for legal sex and (2) asking for self-declared gender identity).

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp Ms Ewing asking whether @SP_European will have sight of the final version of the guidance for the census before parliamentarians are asked to sign off the final version of the census.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp Jill Morton from NRS says that the guidance will likely be finalised "later this year...towards the end of the summer". Earlier in this evidence session, NRS stated that the census order would be introduced in late January with the aim that it will be statute by April 2020.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp Ms Ewing suggests parliament should see final version of guidance before signing off the census. Suggests it is not appropriate to "usurp the legislative process of this parliament".

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp Continuing line of questioning to NRS, this time from @DAJCameron, about why they did not test the sex question without any guidance at all.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron Earlier in the session, Jill Morton from NRS explained that they had worked with different interest groups and that it was important that the sex question was asked in a way that "isn't going to be offensive" and that "use[s] the right terminology".

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron Question now from Kenneth Gibson MSP, asking why NRS report used term 'cisgender' and asks whether NRS is aware that this is a contested term that is not widely understood by the general population.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron Reply from Pete Whitehouse that NRS "try to use language that is understood...not seen to be pejorative, demeaning or insulting" but goes on to say "I'm not clear why we've used certain language" and says NRS can come back to the committee on this issue.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron Mr Gibson expresses concern that it feels as if NRS has had its own agenda with regard to the development of sex question. Notes that NRS initially wanted a non-binary sex question and only changed tack after scrutiny from @SP_European.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron Mr Gibson expresses frustration that "we don't seem to know who these people are" who support guidance on sex question that instructs respondents to answer based on self-declared gender identity. There is "no hard information" on who is asking for this guidance.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron Pete Whitehouse of NRS states that there has been "representation in the press...representation from other academics". Goes on to say "there are different views" and there is a question regarding "who should speak most eloquently on these issues".

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron Question from @Ross_Greer asking whether NRS can provide more background on the sampling methods used in the testing of the sex question guidance, comparing group drawn from general population and group drawn from trans community.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron @Ross_Greer Then goes on to ask whether @ONS and @NISRA had undertaken similar testing. Jill Morton of NRS responds that as far as she is aware NRS testing exercise (of sex question guidance) is "a fairly unique piece of testing in the UK and internationally".

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron @Ross_Greer @ONS @NISRA Final questions from @JoanMcAlpine regarding the new, voluntary question on sexual orientation. JM asks about the predictive text options which contain a list of descriptors that are unfamiliar to most people and do not adhere to Equality Act 2010 terminology.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron @Ross_Greer @ONS @NISRA The list was provided to @SP_European in a letter from @NatRecordsScot on 25 October 2019: parliament.scot/S5_European/Ge…

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron @Ross_Greer @ONS @NISRA JM asks whether NRS will take on board the concerns expressed by @AllianceLGB who wrote to the Committee on 26 November 2019: parliament.scot/S5_European/Ge…

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron @Ross_Greer @ONS @NISRA @AllianceLGB Pete Whitehouse of NRS replies that "their voice has been heard" and that "these are not NRS terms" but terms suggested to them by "groups who represent people in that category". He confirms NRS is still considering the response options for the sexual orientation question.

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron @Ross_Greer @ONS @NISRA @AllianceLGB The full session is online here:
scottishparliament.tv/meeting/cultur…

@NatRecordsScot @SP_European @JoanMcAlpine @ClaireBakerMSP @aewingmsp @DAJCameron @Ross_Greer @ONS @NISRA @AllianceLGB Note: In 2008 @NatRecordsScot published recommendations for the 2011 census. This states no changes will be made to the sex q from the 2001 census. There is however, no mention of the intro of guidance that will direct people to answer based on self-id.
scotlandcensus.gov.uk/documents/legi…