1. The future of disability statistics within the ESS Agenda point 3.6
DSS Meeting April 2014

2. Background
DSS meeting in November 2013 (modernisation of health statistics and discussion on core variables)
Mixed views on the introduction of 2 new core variables to allow for disability breakdowns and reply to UNCRPD & EDS: SPH & GALI
Agreement on:
- Methodological work to improve GALI (report to DSS in 11/14)
- Overview of information collected at national level on disability (report to DSS in 03/14)
20-21 September 2012

3. Overview of disability data at national level
Most countries collect some additional data on disabled people (through administrative sources, based on national definitions)
The most frequent survey vehicule used is LFS (again, national definitions)
Half of the countries can produce Europe 2020 indicators for disabled people
Half of the countries can provide data on people with disabilities living in institutions (national definitions and issue related to scope of institutions)

4. Issues to be faced Heterogeneous situations across countries
No complete picture of disability prevalence (EU surveys are limited in scope as people in institutions and children are not covered)
Even when national data are available for an adequate scope, data follow national definitions of disability
No systematic data availability for EU2020 indicators

5. Proposal 1 (1/2)
Consider the possible introduction of SPH & GALI as core variables and take a final decision in 2015
Decision to be taken together with the decision on income variables in LFS
Decision subject to methodological work on GALI
no change in the concept but improvement of the question and the guidelines
- Grants in 2015 to test introduction of GALI in LFS?

6. Proposal 1 (2/2) EoV Awareness of policy needs
24/31 countries agree with the proposal
Opposition: DK, NO, PL, SI, SK, SE & UK (burden, use of proxy interviews)
Concerns about different results across existing EU surveys, but purpose is not to measure prevalence

7. Proposal 2
Improve current estimates on the number of disabled people (including children) and mandate the Working group on Population & Housing Censuses to analyse feasibility and make proposals by mid-2015
EoV:
Very broad support to improve/have data on disability prevalence, including for children
But: Strong doubts that census is the appropriate statistical instrument (evolution towards register-based census, legal & ethics considerations)

8. Proposal 3
Develop in the future a regular data collection related to people living in institutions and decide to set up a specific Task Force to make proposals by mid-2015 NB: this issue goes beyond disability (poverty, migrants) EoV In favour: 23/31 (but funding would be needed) Against: 6/31 (definition of "institutions" varies across countries, costs, priority?)

9. What next? (1/2)
Go ahead with proposal 1: final decision on SPH & GALI to be taken in 2015, together with income in LFS; TF GALI meets in 09/14)
Review proposal 2
OK to develop measure of disability prevalence (including children), but: (and warning)
1. Consult the GALI TF (experts) for children
Discuss within the SILC revision TF as regards (modified?) GALI in the "children module" every 3 years
Report to DSS in 2015

10. What next? (2/2) Go ahead with proposal 3, but:
Future possible data collection on people in institutions NOT to be included in the new framework regulation (under development)
Task Force mandate to be submitted to DSS in 11/14 for 1st meeting in 2015 (some work already done within ESS, TF results submitted in 01/11)