CU Vice Chairman John Barrie writes:
Dear Members
It was brought to my attention only yesterday, Monday 9th December 2013, that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has a consultation which expires next Tuesday 17th December 2013, concerning the desirability of merging statistics for same sex couples and for opposite sex couples and for civil partnerships.
The document is entitled: Consultation Marriage Statistics Oct 2013
If you have a view on this topic you may care to complete and return the document to:
Lyn Hawkins, Consultations Co-ordinator vsob@ons.gsi.gov.uk
Yours sincerely
John
UPDATE : 17th December 2013
Statement on ONS marriage and divorce statistics consultation
ONS would like to thank all users who have contributed so far to the consultation‘User requirements for marriage, divorce and civil partnership statistics given the introduction of marriage of same sex couples‘. ONS would like to clarify that it is not proposing to produce only total figures for marriages where the distinction between same sex and opposite sex couples is not available. ONS do intend to publish marriage and divorce statistics in the future where figures for opposite sex and same sex couples are shown separately. ONS are consulting on the characteristics of these marriages/divorces which are of particular interest so that published statistics meet user requirements.