FOI 74-25: Information in regards to the general demographic makeup of the employees working at the Assembly
Information Standards Freedom of Information Response
20 January 2025
Our Ref: FOI 74-25
Freedom of Information Act 2000
I am writing to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) has processed your request dated 22 December 2025 in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). In your request, you asked:
“Since our nation had our 2021 Census a few years ago that I took part in, I just wanted to ask if you could similarly provide me with the general demographic makeup of the employees working at the Assembly as of the latest available year data. In particular, just like the whole UK govt. data as organised by the Office for National Statistics, I am looking for the population numbers of 2025, or the latest available year, such as:
1) Racial groups as the UK govt. classifies:
White - British (including English, Scottish, Welsh and Cornish)
White - Irish
Asian - Indian
Asian - Pakistani
Asian - Bangladeshi
Asian - Chinese
...and the other non-national ethnic groups (like Africans, Arabs, other Asian, other White, Caribbean, Mixed race, etc.)
2) Religious identities, in particular the number of:
Christians
Muslims
Hindus
Buddhists
Sikhs
Jews
...non-religious & other religion populations.
3) The total number of employees working for the Assembly, the percentage share of genders & the % percentage of staff that have British citizenship?
4) Among the UK’s recognised indigenous minority languages, what number of staff members can speak:
- Irish (Gaeilge)
- Ulster Scots (Ulstèr-Scotch)
- English
5) the number of staff members who can speak the World's 10-most spoken languages (besides English) if that is recorded by chance, namely:
Chinese
Hindi
Spanish
French
Arabic
Bengali
Russian
Portuguese
Urdu
It will be helpful if I can be able to get an idea of the general demographic data of the assembly as a whole for its workforce for the latest available year. Of course, I don't intend to ask for any personal details of anyone specifically in particular at all but rather get an overall picture of the assembly's population through percentages or numbers (as suitable), so it will be helpful if you can help me find out.”
Our response
The Assembly Commission holds some information in relation to your request.
1. The Assembly Commission uses the following categories when gathering information on ethnic origin:
Bangladeshi origin, Black African origin, Black Caribbean origin, Black other, Chinese origin, Indian origin, Irish Traveller, Mixed Ethnic group, Other, Pakistani origin and White.
As at 1 December 2025, 363 staff identified as ‘White’, one staff member identified as of Chinese origin, one identified as of Indian origin, one identified as Mixed Ethnic group and four identified as ‘Other’.
2. The Assembly Commission does not hold information on the religious identity of staff.
3. As at 1 December 2025, there are 370 employees of the Assembly Commission. 49.46% of staff are male and 50.54% of staff are female. The Assembly Commission does not hold information on the citizenship of staff.
4. All staff employed by the Assembly Commission can speak English. The Assembly Commission does not hold information on other languages staff can speak unless it is related to their role. The Assembly Commission employs 3 Irish Translators who speak Irish.
5. The Assembly Commission does not hold this information.
Further Information
You have the right to request an internal review of this decision by the Assembly Commission. If you wish to request such a review, please write to me at the above address. If, after that review, you are dissatisfied with the way in which the Assembly Commission has handled your request for information, you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Your request for information and our response may be published in the disclosure log maintained by the Assembly Commission under a publication scheme agreed with the ICO. The request and our response will be anonymised.
Yours sincerely,
