Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Politics
Original poster

Census

90 replies

woollyideas · 24/02/2011 23:46

What do people think about the forthcoming census?

I've applied for a job with Capita and have my phone interview tomorrow. I was feeling quite pleased about this (being broke and in need of a few extra quid) but the more I think about it, the more I'm beginning to have doubts.

I was totally against ID cards and the proposed NHS patient summary care records - not to mention the retaining of data of people who had been arrested and not subsequently charged. I think I hadn't really given the census much thought until now, though - well, not outside the 'Who Do You Think You Are' context, ie. I'd only really considered its value as a fairly basic record of who lived where/types of occupation held, etc... I think, too, because the census has quite a long history it has become 'accepted'. But I've just had a look at some of the same questions and am beginning to think that some of them go beyond 'basic' and into intrusive and I'm getting cold feet about wanting to do this job (if I was offered the post after interview, of course.)

What do people think about the census? Useful or not? Intrusive or not? Is there any justification for it in this day and age considering the amount of information that is already held on people?

OP posts:
glasnost · 27/02/2011 15:20

Does it not strike you as AT ALL weird that a foreign arms dealing company has won the contract to organise the census? So we are all so densensitised to these bizarre goings on that it only raises an eyebrow among a few? There's a boycott of the census been organised on the back of this news.

And all this granted permission by the tories who made a big deal about new Labours' perceived big brother tendencies viz id cards.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 27/02/2011 13:43

Yes, so what? What are the consequences of this that worry you? Are they going to use SAMs on those who don't fill the forms out? Are their profits from arms dealing so low they would have to stop if they didn't get the money from the census?

glasnost · 27/02/2011 13:31

So what to what? To the fact an American arms manufacturer is behind it? Must be great to be so disingenuous and cynically apathetic. Gee, wish I could be like that.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 27/02/2011 12:58

So what?

glasnost · 27/02/2011 12:00

Under the US Patriot Act rushed in after 9/11 any US company - Lockheed Martin is American - hasto hand over any data to the US gov and/or the CIA if requested.

Any freedom loving tories out there have an opinion on this? Cameron's gov gave the contract to these lot to carry out the census on behalf of the Office for National Statistics.

LoisSanger · 27/02/2011 11:32

How was your interview woollyideas?

Blackduck · 27/02/2011 11:31

I don't see that my sexuality is any of the Government's business. Even equal ops forms are not mandatory.

glasnost · 27/02/2011 11:29

Did you know the US arms dealer Lockheed Martin - makers of TRIDENT among other delights - is behind the census? wtf for would be a relevant question.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 27/02/2011 11:18

What is the problem with telling the government your ethnicity or even sexuality?

Chil1234 · 27/02/2011 07:20

Labour 'fucked' the public services by inflating the sector to unmanageable levels, borrowing to pay wages rather than to invest in the future and relying on the tax income from one sector (finance) far too heavily. The banks and other wealthy businesses that are attracting such hatred at the moment were the ones that financed the spending spree of the last 13 years. Didn't hear too many people complaining then that they weren't paying enough tax.... funny that....

newwave · 27/02/2011 00:05

@thereiver... if you lie and if everyone you know does the same, don't complain if there aren't enough school places or there's some other gap in your public services in years to come.

Chil, that made me smile:) :) Call me Dave is going to fuck the public services, census or no census

Original poster
woollyideas · 26/02/2011 18:03

Any other whelk tamers feeling completely inadequate now?

OP posts:
Chil1234 · 26/02/2011 17:31

@thereiver... if you lie and if everyone you know does the same, don't complain if there aren't enough school places or there's some other gap in your public services in years to come. And, should your relatives decide to trace you in 100 years' time, if you've put 'occupation - whelk tamer' they'll just think you were a bit of a tosser....

GabbyLoggon · 26/02/2011 12:27

I have a bloke bugging me on the census. Why not just send me the chuffin forms...and I will see if it is worth writing about. "Gabby"

thereiver · 26/02/2011 00:58

all the questions are intrusive so i just lie in fact everyone i knows lies tell the buggers nothing its non of their business

mummytime · 25/02/2011 14:05

There has always been a question about people visiting, I remember having to fill my German penpal on it. It just notes a name and age, and maybe nationality. It just gives a snapshot of people on one day, might be very useful for tourism statistics.

pugly · 25/02/2011 14:01

They wont deliver in person to your doorstep complimentary - it will be posted or you can fill it in online. You can be fined if you don't complete it.

I start on 7th March - community establishments as they don't receive theirs in the post. Anyone else starting then?

complimentary · 25/02/2011 13:50

I don't fill it in, certainly would not fill in the ethnicity question. My freind who is black always fills it in 'blonde blue eyed'.Grin

Woolyideas what if you turn up on a doorstep, and they won't fill it in? (my doorstep) what are you going to do?Smile

Original poster
woollyideas · 25/02/2011 13:08

Thanks Cate. Why on earth has the contract gone to an American arms manufacturer? That's bizarre (and morally wrong, surely?)

OP posts:
CateOfCateHall · 25/02/2011 12:46

There is a boycott of the Census going on because of links to American arms manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. There are fears that the data collected could be passed on to the American Government. I don't think I've the courage to boycott it myself because I can't afford the 1,000 quid fine. Hats off to those who prepared to, though. www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/19/census-boycott-lockheed-martin

NicknameTaken · 25/02/2011 11:25

I did the phone interview last week too! I'm being made redundant at the end of May, so a bit of extra cash would be very helpful...

Original poster
woollyideas · 25/02/2011 10:55

Really, Poppy? If the DM hates it, that's probably good enough for me!

OP posts:
poppyknot · 25/02/2011 10:42

Cansus can now be added to the DM hate list (scroungers, welfare in general and the BBC). If you look here it seems that the questions asked don't change that much from decade to decade. Continuity from one to the next is important.

Sorry for the tangent. I would be interested in doing this myself but now can't get around........

Good luck woollyideas.

lostinwales · 25/02/2011 10:33

Hello Census people, I had my telephone interview last week, I've had some of the same fears but I'm looking upon it as a months work at a decentish rate which will make me money as DH is up for redundancy again. I was a bit disappointed by the telephone interview, I was all set for hard questions but they only really wanted to know if I'd be around to do the job!

LoisSanger · 25/02/2011 10:26

They keep extending the deadlines - they were January and keep getting later. I presume I haven't stood out as being amazing, but who can tell what will happen.

I think there are also people dropping out and they will need replacing.