Review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender: terms of reference
Published 29 February 2024
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Context
1. Accurate data and statistics on biological sex are important to good research and to effective policy making in a wide range of fields, from health to crime and from education to the economy. The government has a strong interest in promoting high-quality data on sex, both in its role as a funder of research and as a producer and user of statistics. Accurate information on gender identity can also be useful in some policy areas.
Goals
2. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is commissioning an independent review, with the aims of:
i. Identifying obstacles to accurate data collection and research on sex and on gender identity in public bodies and in the research system
ii. Setting out good practice guidance for how to collect data on sex and gender identity
Timing
3. The review shall produce a final report by 31 August 2024.
Scope
4. All public bodies, as defined by the Cabinet Office, will be in scope of the review.
5. The review may also consider research institutions and organisations from outside the public sector, if they are considered relevant to the aims of the review.
6. The review will be UK wide, respecting the devolved nature of areas of responsibility within the R&D landscape and the collection of relevant areas of data and statistics.
7. The review will be conducted in line with the statutory independence of UKSA as set out in the Statistics and Registration Act 2007; the Ministerial Code; the Code of Practice for Statistics; the Memorandum of Understanding 2020 between UKSA and Cabinet Office and the UN’s Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.
8. The review will respect the principles of academic freedom and the independent institutional status of universities.
9. In conducting its work the review shall also have regard to current work being undertaken on data regarding sex and gender by the OSR.
Arrangements for the review
10. The review will report to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Deputy Prime Minister.
11. The review will be led by Professor Alice Sullivan of University College London (UCL).
12. The lead reviewer should also provide a draft report and recommendations to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Deputy Prime Minister, by end of July 2024. A final report and recommendations should then be provided to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Deputy Prime Minister by 31 August 2024, who will then consider the report, including decisions on publication and any formal response.
13. If the report has not been published by DSIT within 6 months of a final version being submitted to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Deputy Prime Minister, the lead reviewer may choose to publish the report themselves.
14. The review will take account of the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty.