Non-motoring > Collecting Data on Ethnicity Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Bromptonaut Replies: 6
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New Mon 3 Dec 18 15:56 
 Collecting Data on Ethnicity - Bromptonaut
Last week there was a tangential debate in the (then) current Brexit thread about the need to collect data on the ethnicity of customers and particularly users of public services. Starts from Movilogo's post here:

www.car4play.com/forum/post/index.htm?t=26512&m=580739&v=e

The Guardian has a theme today, and over next few days, on Bias in Britain subtitled A series of reports on the hidden impact of everyday racism. One article looks at differing pass rates for the driving test:

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/03/black-women-far-less-likely-than-white-men-to-pass-driving-tests

The report includes a table of pass rates by ethnicity for test centres. The heading states that it's limited to centres conducting more than 5,000 tests a year. However, as it includes places like Stornoway I'm sure that's not correct. The entire population from Vatersay to the Butt of Lewis is only about 27,000 and there are also test centres on Barra and Benbecula.

Now whatever the reason for the variation in pass rates between ethnic groups (and I offer no opinion) surely it's worthwhile collecting the information?
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New Mon 3 Dec 18 18:46 
 Collecting Data on Ethnicity - sooty123
Now whatever the reason for the variation in pass rates between ethnic groups (and I
>> offer no opinion) surely it's worthwhile collecting the information?
>>

Depends on what outcome you want and how you are going to achieve that?
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New Mon 3 Dec 18 18:49 
 Collecting Data on Ethnicity - sooty123
Interesting that between a third and a half preferred not to say their ethnicity.
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New Mon 3 Dec 18 19:08 
 Collecting Data on Ethnicity - Bromptonaut
>> Interesting that between a third and a half preferred not to say their ethnicity.

AIUI between third and half is the pass rate for those ticking the preferred not to say box.

Given my experience over last four years of asking folks phoning for advice 'how would you describe your ethnicity' refusal rate is in very low single figures % wise.
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New Mon 3 Dec 18 19:18 
 Collecting Data on Ethnicity - sooty123
>> AIUI between third and half is the pass rate for those ticking the preferred not
>> to say box.

Perhaps so, but still i was a little surprised it was that high.
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New Tue 4 Dec 18 10:55 
 Collecting Data on Ethnicity - Cliff Pope
>>
>> Depends on what outcome you want and how you are going to achieve that?
>>




Exactly. You have to decide whether the knowledge is just a mildly interesting observation, like finding that tall people have a slightly higher pass rate, or those with surnames beginning in the first half of the alphabet, or left-handers, or whether you think it is deeply wrong and indicates a problem that needs to be addressed.

But if your response is already conditioned by a belief in a particular reason for the anomaly, then of course you will find confirmation of that belief, because beliefs are always self-confirming.
Last edited by: Cliff Pope on Tue 4 Dec 18 at 10:55
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New Wed 5 Dec 18 20:17 
 Collecting Data on Ethnicity - Roger.
commentcentral.co.uk/the-guardian-sees-racism-everywhere-because-its-prejudiced/?fbclid=IwAR2AprhNZLvYSECMqTUN250N_sRkH4i9K0FGBFqZiEImu5mx5JtcI2zkDME
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