Below is an update on preparations for Census 2011, this includes the revised timetable. We cannot be sure of the final form of the Census until parliament has approved the contents of the questionnaire. While ONS itself will be reluctant to introduce major changes in the format of the questionnaire at this stage, the detailed form of some questions are still being tested and fine tuned.
CENSUS UP DATE: June 2008
Further information regarding topics which are likely to form part of the 2001 Census have now become available at a meeting of the ONS Diversity Advisory Group on 30 April 2008
NATIONAL IDENTITY AND ETHNICITY
These has been no change[1] so far in the proposed National Identity Group Question or the proposed Ethnic Group Question, which are both given again below:
National identity and ethnicity draft questions
14 What do you consider your national identity to be?
Tick all boxes that apply
[ ] English
[ ] Welsh
[ ] Scottish
[ ] Northern Irish
[ ] British
[ ] Other, write in
[ ]
15 What is your ethnic group?
A White
[ ] English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British
[ ] Irish
[ ] Gypsy or Irish Traveller
[ ] Any other White background, write in
[ ]
B Mixed / multiple ethnic groups
[ ] White and Caribbean
[ ] White and African
[ ] White and Asian
[ ] Any other mixed / multiple ethnic background, write in
[ ]
C Asian/Asian British
[ ] Indian
[ ] Pakistani
[ ] Bangladeshi
[ ] Chinese
[ ] Any other Asian background, write in
[ ]
D Black / African / Caribbean / Black British
[ ] Caribbean
[ ] African
[ ] Any other African / Caribbean / Black background, write in
[ ]
E Other ethnic group
[ ] Arab
[ ] Any other ethnic group, write in
[ ]
With regard to the three following categories on the Ethnic Group Question:
A White
[ ] English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British
FIS has questioned its inclusion the inclusion of 'Northern Irish' as it is a 'nationality' category rather than an 'ethnic' category, and the new Equalities and Human Rights Commission has also objected to its inclusion here.
A White
[ ] Gypsy or Irish Traveller
As stated in the last briefing, the fact that 'Gypsy or Irish Traveller' remains as one category will concern those who require specific data on Irish Travellers. FIS has restated its support for a separate category for Irish Travellers. However, the fact that a number of voluntary and statutory agencies deliver services to both groups, the relatively small numbers involved, and the volume of demands with which ONS is faced for the inclusion of other issues, will make this a difficult issue on which to persuade ONS to change its views. Advocacy will need to be based on concrete evidence as to why this information is required separately.
B Mixed / multiple ethnic groups
[ ] Any other mixed / multiple ethnic background, write in
[ ]
This may encourage people of mixed ethnicity or heritage, including an Irish element, to identify that mixed heritage.
The two big tasks again, as the 2011 Census approaches, will be (a) to raise awareness of the Census as a unique source of baseline data which will inform policy making and resource allocation in the following decade, and (b) to raise awareness among those of Irish ethnicity or heritage of the opportunities within the Ethnic Group Question to register their Irish ethnic identity through ticking the 'Irish' category or by completing an appropriate 'write in' box.
CITIZENSHIP QUESTION
We have learned also that citizenship question is being developed (based on passport identity) for the 2011 Census - additional to the foregoing 'identity' questions. This is at the request of the European Union.
LANGUAGE QUESTION
In our last Census briefing we welcomed the form of the Language question being proposed, because we felt that this would allow Irish speakers to identify themselves: something which would be useful in relation to the provision of cultural services. However, the form of question now being tested is much less helpful from the point of view of speakers of any of the 'Celtic' group of languages, despite the fact that an emerging need from the 2006/7 Census Stakeholders Consultation was:
to monitor the usage of minority national languages like Welsh, Gaelic, Scots and Cornish, for which there is an interest in increasing uptake
Elsewhere the purpose of the new Language question is described as "to improve targeting and provision of services for minority groups."
While the two questions being proposed (see below) attempt to meet the demand of those seeking the inclusion of British Sign Language - to which we referred in the previous briefing - they do no satisfy requests for information on the use of the 'Celtic' group of languages:
Question 18
What is your main language?
[ ] English[2] GO TO question 20
[ ] Other, write in (include sign languages)
[ ]
Question 19
How well do you speak English?
Very well Well Not well Not at all
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
ONS has stated that it will test another form of question 18, using the same format as above: "Do you speak a language other than English or Welsh at home".
FIS has expressed its concern that neither of these formats will allow Irish speakers to be counted. Nor will it allow speakers of other 'Celtic' languages within in England to identify themselves and be counted. Organisations and individuals who share FIS's concern regarding the format of proposed question 18 need to state their concerns to the ONS.
FURTHER QUESTIONS TO BE INCLUDED OR EXCLUDED
Long-term illness/disability: This question will still be asked but there is user criticism, shared by FIS, and reflected in consultation meetings, regarding the lack of information about the nature of disability derivable from the question.
Income question: It now looks as if there will not be a question on income in the 2011 Census, as previous testing has indicated problems in respect of the quality of data provided and public acceptability of such a question.
USE OF THE EXTRA SPACE ON THE CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRE
The extra space which the ONS have acquired for the Census questionnaires will accommodate the following subjects, some of which were referred to in the previous briefing:
Second residences: A question on second residences will enable ONS to (a) produce more accurate statistics by reducing double counting and (b) resolve apparent conflicts with statistics from other sources (e.g. Council Tax data).
Marital / civil partnership status: changes consequent on the passage of legislation on same-sex civil partnerships will be incorporated in the marital status question.
Month and year of entry into the UK: to provide data concerning numbers and characteristics of new migrants.
Intended length of stay in the UK: (This question is subject to further testing before a decision is made.) The reason given for the introduction of this question, which is a late arrival on the agenda, is to "enable identification of different population bases" (e.g. "short-term migrants" = 3-12 months in United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's database).
Citizenship (see above)
National identity (see above)
Language (see above)
SUBMISSION TO CONSULTATION ON CENSUS OUTPUTS
In a more recent written submission to ONS on Census Outputs in June we raised the issues of data on Irish Travellers, Limiting Long Term Injury and the Language question again (see above).
On the Religion question we again expressed our support for the type of question which was developed for the last Census in Scotland, which asked for two pieces of information:
Question 13
What religion, religious denomination or body do you belong to?
...
Question 14
What religion, religious denomination or body were you brought up in?
...
We also stated FIS's support for the recommendation of the British-Irish Parliamentary Body for a Census question on Country of Birth of parents and grandparents, as this would be useful in such areas as health, where ancestry may well a significant factor (in addition to a person's self-perception - which is how many regard 'ethnicity' in the British context).
CONCERNS ABOUT CONTRACTING OUT OF PROCESS OF RUNNING OF CENSUS 2001 CENSUS
In the lead-in to the last Census and this Census, the ONS has been at pains to reassure the public that the information provided by individuals will be secure and will be used only for the purposes of the Census. In fact, in Censuses some of the data for small districts is manipulated or withheld where publication might lead to the identification of individuals. One proposed question - that on Income (see above) - is likely not to be included in the 2011 Census for a number of reasons, including the fact that tests showed that including that question was likely to reduce the % of questionnaires completed.
It is clear, therefore, that the ONS puts a high premium on public confidence in the Census process.
The selection process has for allocation of the contract to run the Census has reached its final stages, with only two contestants in the field. A number of MPs, including the Green Party and politicians from Plaid Cymru, Labour and the Scottish National Party, and other individuals, have set up a website to broadcast their concerns about the impact on public confidence if one of the shortlisted contestants is chosen.
You can read their arguments about this issue at http://censusalert.org.uk/index.html
UPDATED TIMETABLE
Census White Paper: December 2008
Census rehearsal: 11 October 2009 in
· Lancaster
· the London Borough of Newham
· Ynys Môn - Isle of Anglesey in North Wales
Census day: 27 March 2011
[1] Other than the transposition of one word in Section D of the Ethnic Group Question.
[2] In Wales this will read 'English or Welsh'.