Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
Establish a data and policy analysis unit within Cabinet Office for a cross-departmental ageing strategy.
Recommendation
We recommend the establishment of a unit of data and policy analysts within the Cabinet Office’s Office of Equality and Opportunity to build an evidence base on the key cross-departmental challenges, including intersectional issues, facing older people now and in the coming decades. This unit should be established with a view to informing the development of a UK government cross-departmental strategy on demographic change and ageing, which the Government should consult on and publish during this Parliament. (Recommendation, Paragraph 108)
Government Response Summary
The government rejects establishing a new unit of data and policy analysts, stating the Cabinet Office's Office of Equality and Opportunity already has analysts who undertake cross-government work on demographic change and ageing.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We are taking a cross-government approach to directly address the range of challenges faced by older people in this country. Support services range from employment support to health and social care, as outlined above, and it is right that these services sit under the jurisdiction of the appropriate Department. OEO already has analysts who look at intersections between different characteristics, including age. They support policy teams in OEO, analysing data from relevant departments such as the Office for National Statistics (ONS). As referenced earlier, OEO worked with ONS on a publication3 that looked at outcomes in relation to crime, wealth, mortality, life satisfaction and digital exclusion for a range of different population groups including age. This reflects that OEO are fully aware of the importance of identifying and considering differences in outcomes which might be associated with people’s age, for example by age-standardising data. As an example, in the ‘Second quarterly report on progress to address COVID-19 health inequalities’4 the Race Disparity Unit (one of the teams merged to become OEO) looked at Age Standardised Mortality Ratios for different ethnic groups. Annex C to that report described how age was a risk factor related to COVID-19 critical illness and mortality. More widely, datasets on OEO’s Ethnicity Facts and Figures website5 show data stratified by age and show differences in outcomes. For example, physical activity by age and ethnicity,6 or home ownership by ethnicity and age.7 OEO analysts engage with analysts in other Departments (such as HM Treasury) who work on equalities, and are co-organisers of a cross- Government network group ofrelevant analysts which ensures expertise can be shared and priorities are understood.