Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he is taking steps to ensure that the categorisations used by his Department for collecting data on the ethnicity of Gypsy, Traveller and Roma people are consistent with those used by the Office of National Statistics.

We recognise the importance of more and better data when it comes to tackling disparities, and we have come a long way since the Lammy Review when it comes to monitoring and publishing ethnicity data. We believe the correct approach is to use the detailed 18+1 classification of ethnicity, and this is now adopted throughout the Courts, Prison, and Probation services.

We are continually reviewing how we can improve the collection, distribution, and analysis of ethnicity data in the justice system, and currently we are focusing on ensuring a consistent approach with 18+1 the current standard.

We understand that not everyone will be comfortable or confident about declaring their ethnicity at the point of entry into the justice system. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has therefore developed a Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) strategy to improve data collection, experiences and outcomes for GRT people in prison.