Taking Part Survey: Consultation response
Detail of outcome
Taking Part Survey: Consultation response
DCMS conducted a consultation on question changes in the Taking Part Survey (TPS) 2020/21. The public consultation ran from November to December 2019 and, in addition, DCMS sought responses from stakeholders directly. DCMS solicited feedback on plans to stop using the TPS to collect data on
- Volunteering and charitable giving
- Child participation in sport.
This report summarises feedback received and provides DCMS’s response.
Feedback summary
Annex A provides a list of responding organisations. All except one of the responses received were from government departments or arm’s length bodies. The other was from a professional body.
Impact of removing questions on volunteering and charitable giving:
- Feedback suggested that stakeholders rarely use the TPS for evidence about volunteering or charitable giving, instead relying on other sources such as the Community Life Survey.
- Respondents highlighted that some volunteering and charitable giving data collected by the TPS are not available elsewhere - particularly evidence relating volunteering/charitable giving to DCMS sectors.
Impact of removing questions on child sport’s participation:
- No concerns were raised about the removal of questions on child sport participation.
- Feedback suggested that users tend to use other sources such as Sport England’s Active Lives Survey which collects more in-depth information and has a larger sample size that allows more granular analysis (e.g. lower level geographies).
Consultation response
Following the feedback we have received on suggested changes for the 2020/21 TPS questions, DCMS will be
- Removing the questions on volunteering and charitable giving as well as child sport participation. These will free space to add questions which will provide data that is more useful for stakeholders.
- Looking at gathering evidence on volunteering and charitable giving to DCMS sectors from other sources, for example the Community Life Survey. This will, however, be subject to separate pilot testing.
- Continuing to signpost stakeholders to other sources where appropriate such as Sport England’s Active Lives Survey for those interested in sport participation.
Annex A
DCMS received responses from:
DCMS policy teams
- Arts, Heritage and Tourism
- Central Analysis Community
- Cyber
- Digital
- International data unit
- Office for Civil Society
- Security and Online Harms
- Sports team
Other
- Department for Transport
- Historic England
- Arts Council England
- The Institute of Fundraising
- Sport England
Original consultation
Consultation description
The consultation on removing questions from the Taking Part Survey ran from November to December 2019