MD2829 Survey of Londoners 2021-22

1.1. Under MD2254, the GLA undertook a Survey of Londoners in 2018-19 to collect data on topics where there were significant gaps in London’s evidence base. The survey provided a comprehensive range of evidence to support Mayoral priorities and inform better policymaking. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic mean that these data are now out-of-date and the GLA is planning to conduct another Survey of Londoners in 2021-22.

1.2. A new Survey of Londoners in 2021-22 will build on the success of the previous survey by being similarly ambitious in scale, and deliver findings for a wider range of demographic groups than normally covered in social research outputs, including religion and sexual orientation.

1.3. The survey will provide a snapshot of Londoners' lives after the initial phase of the COVID-19 crisis by mirroring the Survey of Londoners that was previously conducted by the GLA in 2018-19. By repeating many of the questions and measures from then, the GLA will learn how Londoners’ socio-economic circumstances have been affected during this time.

2.1. The objectives of the Survey of Londoners 2021-22 are:

• to assess the impact of COVID-19 and associated restrictions on key social outcomes for Londoners, not available from other data sources

• to provide evidence and insight on the state of London to inform a range of recovery missions, and associated policymaking.

2.2. Though the questionnaire is yet to be finalised, we envisage collecting data on communities (including social integration, economic fairness, poverty and inequality (including food security)); debt and other advice services; and health and wellbeing.

2.3. The survey will include a representative population sample of Londoners, including those who are often missed out because they are not online. It will also be designed to report separately on low-income households and other groups of interest, including those with protected characteristics, for whom we cannot get data using existing data sources.

2.4. The GLA is seeking additional funding for the survey from external partners including London local authorities and civil society funding bodies, where they have a mutual interest in the same topics. The extra funding will be used to expand the sample size of the survey, which will enable more robust analyses within London both geographically and demographically. Both Croydon and Southwark Councils paid for a boosted sample in 2018-19.

2.5. This decision form delegates authority to the sponsoring director, the Executive Director for Communities and Skills, to receive and spend income from external partners to expand the survey, up to a maximum of £150,000, without the need for a further decision form.

2.6. The fieldwork for the survey will be procured from a suitably qualified professional organisation.

2.7. Any additional funding received from external partners will not affect the integrity of the survey. The additional funding will be highlighted to those professional organisations bidding to conduct the fieldwork for the survey and it will enable them to propose a larger survey design, in line with the GLA’s requirements.

2.8. The survey’s findings will be published on the London Datastore for secondary use by a wide range of organisations, and the data also made available for academic analysis at the UK Data Service.

3.1. Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must have ‘due regard’ of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), that is the need to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation

• advance equality of opportunity

• foster good relations between people who have a protected characteristic and those who do not.

3.2. Equality, diversity and inclusion are some of the key drivers behind this survey. The evidence from the Survey of Londoners 2021-22 will be used to fill evidence gaps relating to groups with protected characteristics, and other vulnerable and marginalised groups within London. This will enable the development of sound interventions to improve outcomes for these groups.

3.3. Understanding the experiences of more groups of Londoners will help the GLA shape the development of policy going forward to increase fairness and ensure that equality impacts are considered as critical decisions are made.

Key risks and issues

4.1. There are no conflicts of interest to note for any of those involved in drafting or clearance of the decision form.

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

4.2. This work directly supports the Mayor’s priority of working with partners to lead and support the capital’s long-term economic and social recovery from COVID-19. The London Recovery Programme is taking a missions-based approach to London’s recovery and it is within the GLA budget to support the Robust Safety Net mission that funding for this survey has been initially allocated. The survey is key for the Robust Safety Net and Building Strong Communities missions in particular, but will provide data to support effective planning and delivery across all recovery missions.

4.3. This work supports the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy and Social Integration strategy, which in turn tie in with the Mayor’s other statutory and non-statutory strategies.

Consultations and impact assessments

4.4. This decision request builds on feedback from external stakeholders including London boroughs, partners in the Recovery Programme, and users of the Survey of Londoners in 2018-19.

5.1. Approval is being sought for expenditure of £250,000 for the procurement of a contractor to undertake fieldwork interviews for a Survey of Londoners.

5.2. The expenditure of £250,000 will be funded from the 2021-22 Social Evidence Base Programme budget within the Communities and Social Policy Unit.

5.3. Approval is also being sought for the Executive Director for Communities and Skills to be able to receive and spend income from external partners to expand the survey, up to a maximum of £150,000, without the need for a further decision form. Additional spend will only be incurred to the value of any additional income received.

6.1. The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:

6.2. the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development, or the promotion of the improvement of the environment in Greater London; and

6.3. the decisions requested of the Mayor (in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code) concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of economic development and wealth creation, social development, or the promotion of the improvement of the environment in Greater London; and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:

6.3.1. pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people

6.3.2. consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the UK

6.3.3. consult with appropriate bodies.

6.4. In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor must have due regard to the PSED; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, and gender reassignment) and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

6.5. The services required must be procured by Transport for London Procurement, who will determine the detail of the procurement strategy to be adopted in accordance with the GLA’s Contracts and Funding Code. Officers must ensure that appropriate contract documentation is put in place and executed by the successful bidder(s) and the GLA before the commencement of the services.