You asked
I am after the following data:
1.Latest data on the Number of petitions filed, month by month over 24 months 2.Latest data on the Number of Decree Absolutes, month by month over 24 months
We said
Thank you for your request.
We publish Divorces in England and Wales with our latest data available up to 2019. This data provides annual divorce numbers and rates, by duration of marriage, sex, age, previous marital status, to whom granted, and the reason. The next release of divorce data for 2020 is provisionally scheduled for publication in October 2021. Please see table 1, columns G to I for petitions and Decree absolutes, opposite-sex couples. Please see table 1 columns R to S for this data on same-sex couple divorces (2019).
As we will publish this at a future date, this data is considered exempt under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future. As a central government department and producer of official statistics, we need to have the freedom to be able to determine our own publication timetables. This is to allow us to deal with the necessary preparation, administration and context of publications. It would be unreasonable to consider disclosure when to do so would undermine our functions.
This exemption is subject to a public interest test. We recognise the desirability of information being freely available and this is considered by ONS when publication schedules are set in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The need for timely data must be balanced against the practicalities of applying statistical skill and judgement to produce the high quality, assured data needed to inform decision-making. If this balance is incorrectly applied, then we run the risk of decisions being based on inaccurate data which is arguably not in the public interest. This will have an impact on public trust in official statistics in a time when accuracy of official statistics is more important to the public than ever before.
If you would like to discuss these statistics further, please contact health.data@ons.gov.uk.