The Office for National Statistics has said it does not hold the requested data and directed the enquirer to the Ministry of Justice instead.
The ONS, the UK’s national statistical institute, responded to a public query on social media by confirming the data fell outside its holdings. The reply was brief and direct.
Justice-system operational statistics — covering courts, tribunals, prisons and probation — are primarily published by the Ministry of Justice rather than the ONS. The Ministry of Justice updates many of its headline data series quarterly and describes its justice figures as the best available for most purposes on courts and tribunal activity in England and Wales.
The boundaries matter in practice.
Kent residents or businesses seeking data on local court activity, criminal proceedings, or tribunal outcomes would need to go to Ministry of Justice publications or the official Justice Data service, not ONS. The two departments hold distinct datasets, and the ONS response reflects that division rather than a gap in publicly available information.
Key information
- Justice statistics for England and Wales, including courts and tribunals data, are published by the Ministry of Justice
- Many headline Ministry of Justice data series are updated quarterly
- The Justice Data service is the relevant source for court, prison, probation and tribunal statistics
Source: @ONS
ONS Points Data Enquiry to Ministry of Justice Quiz
5 questions