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Politics

To census or not to census

172 replies

winstonsmith · 28/02/2011 15:59

Join the boycott.

OP posts:
Ihavewelliesbuttheyrenotgreen · 28/02/2011 22:51

It doesn't really bother me either way. I'm quite happy to fill out a census form but wanted to bump this to see what others thought.

CrispyCakeHead · 28/02/2011 22:54

I'm fairly certain there is a legal requirement to fill it in abd that you can be prosecuted for not doing so.

Really can't think why someone wouldn't want to, unless they are an illegal immigrant or a wanted criminal.

shesparkles · 28/02/2011 22:58

It's a legal requirement-Census Act 1920 states;

Penalties.

(1)If any person?

(a)refuses or neglects to comply with or acts in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or any Order in Council or regulations made under this Act; or

(b)being a person required under this Act to make a statutory declaration with respect to the performance of his duties, makes a false declaration; or

(c)being a person required by any Order in Council or regulations made under this Act to make, sign, or deliver any document, makes, signs, or delivers, or causes to be made, signed, or delivered a false document; or

(d)being a person required in pursuance of any such Order in Council or regulations to answer any question, refuses to answer or gives a false answer to that question;

he shall for each offence be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F11level 3 on the standard scale].

Guitargirl · 28/02/2011 22:59

As someone who relies on Census results in my daily work (research) I would put out a plea to complete as full a response as possible. It doesn't take very long and gaining as full a picture as possible of the state of the nation really does help those who plan services (honestly!)

Ihavewelliesbuttheyrenotgreen · 28/02/2011 23:04

You can get fined for not filling it in but apparently at the last census only about 30 people were actually fined for not completing it. I agree with crispy I don't see why anyone would not want to fill it in unless they had something to hide. Thanks Guitargirl its good to hear that the data is used and valued!

MrsKwazii · 28/02/2011 23:05

Certain funding for local councils is based in census figures so skewed data can result in underfunding and pressure on services. It's a real pisser in the few years before the next census as demographics can change quite rapidly.

Always amused that there's a conspiracy theory about every iota of Government info collection.

paulapantsdown · 28/02/2011 23:07

fer crying out loud - the govt. can get whatever information it wants on you via different means anyway - what is the big bloody deal about filling out a census form?

populations all over the world have been subject to census for hundreds of years - how otherwise can governments (of whatever colour) plan for the future re education, roads etc etc

i am really at a loss to understand the precious, self obsessed attitude of people making a fuss about a stupid form!?

cat64 · 28/02/2011 23:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

winstonsmith · 01/03/2011 09:51

if i'd put more of the graphic vid's illusrating what Lockheed Martin's weapons and arms do to children in iraq, afganistan etc the replies wouldn't have been so glib.

it's about Lockheed Martin - a foreign arms company - being behind the census that provoked me to put up these links. the big brother aspect is connected, however, to Lockheed's links to imperialist neocon profiteering and the fact they're obliged to pass on info to the CIA.

OP posts:
iamagleek · 01/03/2011 10:01

I have read around the census and they seem to want to know the ins and outs of your life, and mean what does it matter whether I am gay or straight, or healthy or unhealthy, to be fair as a society we are all moving around so these services that are then tailored well in a year or twos time that person may not even live there to need the service. I feels like they are being nosey quite honestly.

MrsKwazii · 01/03/2011 10:08

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you Hmm

iamagleek · 01/03/2011 10:11

I am not paranoid but I just think some of the questions my own family wouldn't even ask me. Let alone a stranger. And lest we forget how easy it is for our information to be lost/leaked look at the child benefit thing a couple of years ago.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 01/03/2011 10:19

I thought Capita were involved in the census - it's certainly them that are recruiting the collectors etc for it Confused

Ihavewelliesbuttheyrenotgreen · 01/03/2011 10:19

How are a foreign arms company behind the census? Surely governments have been doing censuses (censi) for centuries (Mary, Joseph, Jesus, Bethlehem etc Smile)

TrillianAstra · 01/03/2011 10:22

I think having an accurate census is a good thing.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 01/03/2011 10:25

but yes - to get back to the point in question government planning, and council planning, and services are often created (or scrapped) based on census information.

Longtalljosie · 01/03/2011 10:28

Oh don't be so ridiculous.

Longtalljosie · 01/03/2011 10:28

Sorry Baroque - that's to the OP, not you!

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 01/03/2011 10:32

Grin Long - I was just thinking of offering you a Brew to reduce the stress levels towards me Grin

winstonsmith · 01/03/2011 10:40

have you actually taken a gander at the links long? if you have and you still have that dismissive patronising attitude then you're lucky to be so indifferent.

i originally put these links up to highlight this underpublicised fact of Lockheed Martin having won the contract to data capture and store the census info. they are a US arms manufacturers also involved in writing the software for ECHELON the global surveillance system.

if you're cool with that good for you. I'M NOT and am boycotting the census. that's called civil disobedience and is my right.

OP posts:
winstonsmith · 01/03/2011 10:43

www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/19/census-boycott-lockheed-martin

sory about link balls up before

OP posts:
bullet234 · 01/03/2011 10:44

These are the questions. They can be foudn as a pdf file on the website of the Office for National Statistics.

Office for National Statistics
2011 Census
Household questions
H1 Who usually lives here?
? Me, this is my permanent or family home
? Family members including partners, children, and babies born on or
before 27 March 2011
? Students and/or schoolchildren who live away from home during term
time
? Housemates, tenants or lodgers
? People who usually live outside the UK who are staying in the UK for 3
months or more
? People who work away from home within the UK, or are members of
the armed forces, if this is their permanent or family home
? People who are temporarily outside the UK for less than 12 months
? People staying temporarily who usually live in the UK but do not have
another UK address, for example, relatives, friends
? Other people who usually live here, including anyone temporarily away
from home
? No-one usually lives here, for example, this is a second address or
holiday home

H2 Counting everyone you included in H1, how many people usually live
here?

H3 Starting with yourself, list the names of all the people counted in
question H2 including children, babies and lodgers.
If a member of this household has requested an Individual Questionnaire, tick
the box beside their name and leave blank the Individual questions 1 to 43 for
that person
? Yourself (Person 1) First name Last name
? Person 2 First name Last name
? Person 3 First name Last name
? Person 4 First name Last name
? Person 5 First name Last name
? Person 6 First name Last name

If there are more than six people, complete the entire questionnaire online or
contact us to get a Continuation Questionnaire.

H4 Apart from everyone counted in question H2, who else is staying
overnight here on 27 March 2011? These people are counted as visitors.
Remember to include children and babies.

? People who usually live somewhere else in the UK, for example boy /
girlfriends, friends, relatives
? People staying here because it is their second address, for example,
for work. Their permanent or family home is elsewhere
? People who usually live outside the UK who are staying in the UK for
less than 3 months
? People here on holiday
? There are no visitors staying overnight here on 27 March 2011

H5 Counting only the people included in question H4, how many visitors
are staying overnight here on 27 March 2011?

H6 How are members of this household related to each other? If
members are not related, tick the ?Unrelated? box.
Using the same order you used in question H3, write the name of everyone
who usually lives here at the top of each column. Remember to include
children, babies and people who have requested an Individual Questionnaire.
Tick a box to show the relationship of each person to each of the other
members of this household.
? Person 1 First name Last name
? Person 2 First name Last name
? How is person 2 related to Person: 1

  • Husband or wife
  • Same-sex civil partner
  • Partner
  • Son or daughter
  • Step-child
  • Brother or sister
  • Step-brother or step-sister
  • Mother or father
  • Step-mother or step-father
  • Grandchild
  • Grandparent
  • Relation ? other
  • Unrelated (including foster child)
Boxes available for completion for up to six people
  • If there are more than six people, contact us to request a
Continuation Questionnaire

H7 What type of accommodation is this?
A whole house or bungalow that is:
? detached
? semi-detached
? terraced (including end-terrace)
A flat, maisonette or apartment that is:
? in a purpose-built block of flats or tenement
? part of a converted or shared house (including bedsits)
? in a commercial building (for example, in an office building, hotel, or
over a shop)
A mobile or temporary structure:
? a caravan or other mobile or temporary structure

H8 Is this household?s accommodation self-contained?
This means that all the rooms, including the kitchen, bathroom and toilet, are
behind a door that only this household can use
? Yes
? No

H9 How many rooms are available for use only by this household?

H10 How many of these rooms are bedrooms?

H11 What type of central heating does this accommodation have?
? No central heating
? Gas
? Electric (including storage heaters)
? Oil
? Solid fuel (for example, wood, coal)
? Other central heating

H12 Does your household own or rent this accommodation?
? Owns outright
? Owns with a mortgage or loan
? Part owns and part rents (shared ownership)
? Rents (with or without housing benefit)
? Lives here rent free

H13 Who is your landlord?
? Housing association, housing co-operative, charitable trust, registered
social landlord
? Council (local authority)
? Private landlord or letting agency
? Employer of a household member
? Relative or friend of a household member
? Other

H14 In total, how many cars or vans are owned, or available for use, by
members of this household?
? None
? 1
? 2
? 3
? 4 or more, write in number

Individual questions
1 What is your name?
? First name
? Last name

2 What is your sex?
? Male
? Female

3 What is your date of birth?
? Day
? Month
? Year

4 On 27 March 2011, what is your legal marital or same-sex civil
partnership status?
? Never married and never registered a same-sex civil partnership
? Married
? Separated, but still legally married
? Divorced
? Widowed
? In a registered same-sex civil partnership
? Separated, but still legally in a same-sex civil partnership
? Formerly in a same-sex civil partnership which is now legally dissolved
? Surviving partner from a same-sex civil partnership

5 Do you stay at another address for more than 30 days a year?
? No
? Yes, write in other UK address below
? Yes, outside the UK, write in country

6 What is that address?
? Armed forces base address
? Another address when working away from home
? Student?s home address
? Student?s term time address
? Another parent or guardian?s address
? Holiday home
? Other

7 Are you a schoolchild or student in full-time education?
? Yes
? No

8 During term time, do you live:
? at the address on the front of this questionnaire?
? at the address in question 5?
? at another address?

9 What is your country of birth?
? England
? Wales
? Scotland
? Northern Ireland
? Republic of Ireland
? Elsewhere, write in the current name of country

10 If you were not born in the United Kingdom, when did you most
recently arrive to live here?
Do not count short visits away from the UK
? Month
? Year

11 If you arrived before 27 March 2010 go to 13
If you arrived on or after 27 March 2010 go to 12

12 Including the time you have already spent here, how long do you
intend to stay in the United Kingdom?
? Less than 6 months
? 6 months or more but less than 12 months
? 12 months or more

13 How is your health in general?
? Very good
? Good
? Fair
? Bad
? Very bad

14 Do you look after, or give any help or support to family members,
friends, neighbours or others because of either:

  • long-term physical or mental ill-health / disability?
  • problems related to old age?
? No ? Yes, 1-19 hours a week ? Yes, 20-49 hours a week ? Yes, 50 or more hours a week

15 How would you describe your national identity?
? English
? Welsh
? Scottish
? Northern Irish
? British
? Other, write in

16 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 Black Caribbean
? White and Black 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
? African
? Caribbean
? Any other Black / African / Caribbean background, write in
E. Other ethnic group
? Arab
? Any other ethnic group, write in

17 This question is intentionally left blank go to 18

18 What is your main language?
? English
? Other, write in (including British Sign Language)

19 How well can you speak English?
? Very well
? Well
? Not well
? Not at all

20 What is your religion? (This question is voluntary)
? No religion
? Christian (including Church of England, Catholic, Protestant and all
other Christian denominations)
? Buddhist
? Hindu
? Jewish
? Muslim
? Sikh
? Any other religion, write in

21 One year ago, what was your usual address?
? The address on the front of this questionnaire
? Student term time / boarding school address in the UK, write in term
time address below
? Another address in the UK, write in below
? Outside the UK, write in country
? Same as Person 1

22 What passports do you hold?
? United Kingdom
? Irish
? Other, write in
? None

23 Are your day-to-day activities limited because of a health problem or
disability which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months?
? Yes, limited a lot
? Yes, limited a little
? No

24 If you are aged 16 or over go to 25
If you are aged 15 or under go to 43
25 Which of these qualifications do you have?
? 1 - 4 O levels / CSEs / GCSEs (any grades), Entry Level, Foundation
Diploma
? NVQ Level 1, Foundation GNVQ, Basic Skills
? 5+ O levels (passes) / CSEs (grade 1) / GCSEs (grades A*- C), School
Certificate, 1 A level / 2 - 3 AS levels / VCEs, Higher Diploma
? NVQ Level 2, Intermediate GNVQ, City and Guilds Craft, BTEC First /
General Diploma, RSA Diploma
? Apprenticeship
? 2+ A levels / VCEs, 4+ AS levels, Higher School Certificate,
Progression / Advanced Diploma
? NVQ Level 3, Advanced GNVQ, City and Guilds Advanced Craft, ONC,
OND, BTEC National, RSA Advanced Diploma
? Degree (for example BA, BSc), Higher degree (for example MA, PhD,
PGCE)
? NVQ Level 4 - 5, HNC, HND, RSA Higher Diploma, BTEC Higher Level
? Professional qualifications (for example teaching, nursing,
accountancy)
? Other vocational / work-related qualifications
? Foreign qualifications
? No qualifications

26 Last week, were you:
? working as an employee?
? on a government sponsored training scheme?
? self-employed or freelance?
? working paid or unpaid for your own or your family?s business?
? away from work ill, on maternity leave, on holiday or temporarily laid
off?
? doing any other kind of paid work?
? none of the above

27 Were you actively looking for any kind of paid work during the last
four weeks?
? Yes
? No

28 If a job had been available last week, could you have started it within
two weeks?
? Yes
? No

29 Last week, were you waiting to start a job already obtained?
? Yes
? No

30 Last week, were you:
? retired (whether receiving a pension or not)?
? a student?
? looking after home or family?
? long-term sick or disabled?
? other

31 Have you ever worked?
? Yes, write in the year that you last worked
? No, have never worked

32 Answer the remaining questions for your main job or, if not working, your
last main job.
33 In your main job, are (were) you:
? an employee?
? self-employed or freelance without employees?
? self-employed with employees?

34 What is (was) your full and specific job title?

35 Briefly describe what you do (did) in your main job.

36 Do (did) you supervise any employees?
? Yes
? No

37 At your workplace, what is (was) the main activity of your employer
or business?

38 In your main job, what is (was) the name of the organisation you work
(worked) for?
Write in the business name
Or tick:
No organisation, for example, self- employed, freelance, or work (worked) for
a private individual

39 If you had a job last week go to 40
If you didn?t have a job last week go to 43

40 In your main job, what is the address of your workplace?
Write in the address. If you work at or from home, on an offshore installation,
or have no fixed workplace, tick one of the boxes below
? Mainly work at or from home
? Offshore installation
? No fixed place

41 How do you usually travel to work?
? Work mainly at or from home
? Underground, metro, light rail, tram
? Train
? Bus, minibus or coach
? Taxi
? Motorcycle, scooter or moped
? Driving a car or van
? Passenger in a car or van
? Bicycle
? On foot
? Other

42 In your main job, how many hours a week (including paid and unpaid
overtime) do you usually work?
? 15 or less
? 16 - 30
? 31 - 48
? 49 or more

43 There are no more questions for Person 1.
Go to questions for Persons 2 ? 6
If there are no more people in this household, go to the Visitor questions on
the back page
If there are no visitors staying here overnight, go to the Declaration on the
front page
Visitor questions
V How many visitors did you include in question H5?
? 1 to 3 - answer questions V1 to V4 below for each visitor
? 4 or more - answer questions V1 to V4 below for the first three visitors
then go to www.census.gov.uk or call 0300 0201 101 to request a
Continuation Questionnaire
Visitor A
V1 What is this person?s name?
? First name
? Last name
V2 What is this person?s sex?
? Male
? Female
V3 What is this person?s date of birth?
? Day
? Month
? Year
V4 What is this person?s usual UK address?
Or:
Outside the UK, write in country
Questions repeated for Visitors B and C

Now go to the Declaration on the front page
Declaration
This questionnaire has been completed to the best of my knowledge and
belief.
? Signature
? Date
? Telephone number

HattiFattner · 01/03/2011 10:45

for those playing the "big bad arms dealer" card....I presume you will never ever travel by air again, as lockheed are one of the biggest suppliers of civilian air traffic control systems and airport management systems in the world.

They also sell much of the rail and maritime operational, navigational and satellite systems and equipment, as well as providing much green energy via wave, solar and wind power generators. So dont use any electricity will you. Or travel. in case you are supporting this evil company.

I think its hilarious that some people believe that their answers to how many bedrooms they have and whether person A is related to person B will somehow matter to anyone, except as a statistical insight, or to our ancestors 100 years from now. How precious!

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 01/03/2011 10:47

I'm actually more concerned about the safety of my information in Capita's hands - they have a track record of imcomptence.......I'm pretty confident once it gets to Lockeed to capture the date and store it it'll be a hell of a lot more secure than many of our other details held on records in the UK are.

TrillianAstra · 01/03/2011 10:50

"I think its hilarious that some people believe that their answers to how many bedrooms they have and whether person A is related to person B will somehow matter to anyone, except as a statistical insight, or to our ancestors 100 years from now. How precious!"

Given that when the most recent publicly-available census data was released the volume of interest crashed the website, I'd say yes, our descendants 100 years from now will be very interested.

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