§ Mr. Hilary BennTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of respondents to the pilot census survey undertaken on 25 April 1999 in Leeds identified themselves as Kashmiri. [145621]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician.I have asked him to reply.
Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Hilary Benn, dated 2 February 2001:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question on what proportion of respondents to the pilot census survey undertaken on 25 April 1999 in Leeds identified themselves as 'Kashmiri' (145621). I am replying on his behalf.A census rehearsal was carried out in a number of selected areas across the country, including parts of Leeds, in April 1999 for the prime purpose of ensuring that the methods and procedures for the full census in April this year will work efficiently. Response to the rehearsal was voluntary, and there were responses from 32,718 people in Leeds.Although there has been no intention to publish the statistical results from the Rehearsal, an analysis of the answers to the ethnic group question in Leeds showed that there were some 81 write-in responses of 'Kashmiri' (0.25 per cent of all respondents in Leeds).