ONS threatens to drop key same-sex marriage data
from Coalition for Marriage:
The Office of National Statistics is threatening to end the practice of separately recording the number of couples in traditional and same-sex marriages.
A current consultation is asking why users of official statistical releases need the data for the population of married people separated by marriage type.
If the data is no longer published, it will become harder to hold the Government to account over the claims made at the time of the introduction of same-sex marriage.
Evidence-based policy
In a ‘fact sheet’ on same-sex marriage issued by the Government Equality Office in April 2014, it was asserted that:
“Marriage is a hugely important institution in this country. The principles of long-term commitment and responsibility which underpin it bind society together and make it stronger.”
The then Minister for Women and Equalities, Maria Miller, stated in a Parliamentary debate on same-sex marriage on 5th February 2013 that:
“What marriage offers us all is a lifelong partner to share our journey.”
These statements provide a clear and testable basis on which the Government committed to legalise same-sex marriage: that those same-sex couples wishing to marry had an identical commitment to lifelong union as those in traditional marriages.
To test this claim and hold the Government to account it is vital to have accurate official data. Ending the practice of estimating the population of married couples separately makes this impossible.
If you use official statistics and would like to respond to the consultation (deadline 24th October), or if you would like to read our response, the details are available on our website.
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