Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why it has been decided to make separate arrangements for the 1981 census in Northern Ireland; how these arrangements will differ from those in the rest of the United Kingdom; how they will differ from the arrangements for the 1971 census in Northern Ireland; whether the questions for Northern Ireland for the 1981 census will include questions about country of birth, nationality or ethnic grouping, religious affiliation or ability to speak or write Irish Gaelic; and when he expects that an announcement will be made about the arrangements for the 1981 census in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. MasonIt has always been the practice in Northern Ireland to have separate arrangements for a census. Northern Ireland currently conducts its census under the Census Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 which empowers the Registrar General of Northern Ireland to conduct a census as the registrars general of England and Wales and Scotland similarly do under their own legislative authority.
Arrangements for the 1981 census will be similar to those in 1971 and in the remainder of the United Kingdom. The proposed questions will include country of birth and nationality and a voluntary question on religion. It is not proposed to ask questions on ethnic origin or ability to write or speak Irish Gaelic.
An announcement has already been made on 14th July 1978 by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Liverpool, Kirkdale (Mr. Dunn), stating that, in common with most other EEC countries and other parts of the United Kingdom, it is proposed to hold the census on 5th April 1981.