End of the census in UK?

[Chris Scott]

On Teletext today I saw the following:
"The national census is out of date, too costly and should be scrapped immediately, a think tank has claimed.
The 10 yearly population survey becomes out of date as soon as it is published and is likely to cost £500m in 2011, the New Local Government Network says.
Its report backs a 'local head count' based on GP surgeries, electoral registers and tax records.
Councils have argued they are not getting enough funding because official population estimates are wrong."

BBC coverage of this can be found at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7573004.stm

Any comments or thoughts?

[Mike Covell]

What a shame but in a way I can see why. A building near me has one owner, he is the only registered tennant, but at night between 20 and 30 Chinese immigrants enter the building to sleep!

My wife worked in the adjoining building and one night as she was locking up she watched as three mini-buses pulled up in the dark and they all marched in. Loads of building work has been done and the building has been expanded, with large sheds appearing on the rear flat roof.

Ventilation equipment has been installed and loads of exterior windows have been bricked up!

If he got a census, he would put that he was the only person living there, and the other 20/30 would remain invisible.

[John Savage]

Hi Chris,

I doubt that they will every do away with the census, I reckon that is just another of those "silly season" stories that keep journalists occupied during the summer.

Although, I suppose that if the government do ever introduce their wretched identity card scheme, there might not be a need for a census?

Rgds
John

[Mike Covell]

Although I am not sure how much the identity card scheme costs, I am sure that is the way the governments will go. They seem to have more benifits than a census.

[claire]

Hmm. Don't know that the identity cards will capture all of the information the census does. Yes, the data date quickly, but it does provide a benchmark...those analysing the data know their shortcomings, so those are factored in. Plus I think it would make things difficult in terms of providing required data to the international organisations. I tend to agree with John: a silly season story born of one possible suggestion in one report.

[Scott Nelson]

No census, no feeling.

[coral]

The next Census is due to be taken in 2011 and will not be made public until
2111 - how many of us on the boards will still be around?

Just looking at today's youngsters - I am sure most of them will not be that bothered if they live that long.

Coral

[claire]

Wow, Coral, is that the case in the UK? I didn't realise. But aggregate data are in the public domain, though?

However, the benefits of the census don't just lie in public accessibility of individual data, no?

[coral]

Hi Claire

I am sorry but I don't understand your question.

In the UK there is a census which is taken every 10 years - the results of which are not made public until 100 years down the line. The next UK census will be in 2011. The details will be released in 2110. By which time I will be 162 years old.

Not much good to me or my offspring.

Coral

[Robert]

Hi Coral

I think Claire meant that statistical data, i.e. how many people own their own homes, are made public early, as opposed to individual data.

I know that when I did the census in 2001, I and some other people were asked to stay on for an extra two or three weeks and chase up people from all the different census rounds who hadn't filled in their forms. We were told that if we could just get them to answer the first three or four questions, that would be counted as a completed form.

I think there will be a 2011 census but part of it might end up being done online.

I had planned to be here in 2111 but there doesn't seem much point if everyone else is going to bugger off.

Robert

[coral]

Hi Robert

You are obviously a lot younger than me!

Coral

[claire]

Yes, sorry Coral...I must've written my post with half a brain, didn't seem too clear. I did mean, as Robert said, the statistical data was what I was thinking about as being publicly available.

[Robert]

The Office for National Statistics has written to ask if I would like to register an interest in doing the census again in 2011, so I guess they really plan to have one.