§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services at which census the practice was introduced of asking questions to elicit information of useful social value for planning purposes.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, with regard to paragraph 2 of the White Paper on the 1981 census of population, Command Paper No. 7146, when the census began to help in predicting changes, to show what standards of housing people lived in, or show how many people were at work, to show what occupational skills and what educational and professional qualifications existed among the people or what use was being made of them, and to show where people worked in relation to where they lived and how they travelled to and from work.
§ Mr. MoyleAppropriate questions were introduced in the censuses taken in the following years:
- Numbers employed 1801
- Occupational skills 1801
708 - Housing 1891
- Work place 1921
- Educational and professional qualifications 1961
- Travel to work place 1966
All census information helps to predict change.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration was given in the preparation of the White Paper on the 1981 census of population, Command Paper No. 7146, to the need for a compulsory census as opposed to the use of a partially voluntary method of surveying alongside a compulsory headcount.
§ Mr. MoyleThe Census Act 1920 provides no basis for voluntary questions. As stated in Cmnd. 7146, section III, consideration is being given to supplementing the census information by voluntary surveys linked to the census. The nature of any such surveys will be announced to Parliament before they are undertaken.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what evidence it is stated in the White Paper on the 1981 census of population, Command Paper No. 7146, that only the census can provide information on a uniform basis.
§ Mr. MoyleOnly a compulsory census following standard procedures throughout the country can provide information on a uniform basis about each area and minority group. Neither a voluntary census nor a sample survey would provide the 100 per cent. coverage needed.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what way the census return may be of specific value to particular local authorities in regard to the problems of single-parent families or immigrants, if the confidentiality features of the census if upheld would prevent such specific knowledge being made available to the local authority.
§ Mr. MoyleInformation made available to local authorities and others about single-parent families, immigrants, and other small groups or about small areas will be so presented that no individual or family will be identifiable. Such information will be in a statistical form. Within these confidentiality limitations, statistics will be provided that are as 709W helpful as possible in demonstrating social needs.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in regard to the White Paper on the 1981 census of population, Command Paper No. 7146, page 2, paragraph 6, what consideration was given particularly to the public reaction to compulsory or voluntary submission of information, in the light of the Government's second broad principle that the census should be acceptable to the public by respecting their privacy and limiting its demands.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many commercial organisations have been permitted to purchase information acquired through the censuses of 1951, 1961 and 1971; and what has been the total revenue raised by each of these censuses.
§ Mr. MoyleThe total revenue received by the General Register Office for England and Wales in 1951 and 1961 and by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in 1971 from tabulations produced under Section 4(2) of the Census Act 1920 was:
£ 1951 5,400 (to 31.3.57) 1961 32,000 (to 31.3.65) 1971 787,000 (to 31.5.78) The figures cover all sales of tabulations to public and private bodies, other than published material sold by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Figures of the numbers of purchasers are not available.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of recent encouragement to the publication of Civil Service background papers, if he will publish the thorough research mentioned in paragraph 16, page 4, of the White Paper on the 1981 census of population, Command Paper No. 7146, that went into the framing of the questions for the 1981 census.
§ Mr. MoyleResearch papers on census studies are published from time to time, but it would be uneconomical to publish all research in full detail. On 25th July 1978 details of research on the proposed710W ethnic question will be published in the OPCS Census Monitor series. A copy will be made available in the House of Commons Library.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the fact that information in regard to the age, sex and marital status of the population is available through the Registrar of Births and Deaths, the electoral registrar and numerous other Departments of State, why it is stated in the White Paper on the 1981 census of population, Command Paper No. 7146, page 5, paragraph 9. that the information gathered by the census, when analysed by age, sex and marital status, provides the essential benchmark for allocating large sums of money, some £13 billion in 1976–77, by way of rate support grants to local authorities.
§ Mr. MoyleRegistration of births, marriages and deaths does not provide information about the movement of people into and out of the country or from one part of the country to another. The electoral register does not give information on age, sex or marital status; moreover it does not cover the minors and others ineligible to vote or a proportion, varying from one area to another, of those eligible to vote.
The £13 billion in 1976–77, referred to in paragraph 19 of Cmnd. 7146, includes both rate support grant and grants to health authorities. Allocation of these grants is based on formulae which take into account annual estimates of the population of each local area analysed by age, sex and marital status. Such annual estimates of local population are made by up-dating the most recent benchmark figure provided by the Census of Population.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many 1971 census forms were inadequately completed to the extent that they were not able to be used by the Registrar General in the end data provided from the census.
§ Mr. MoyleSome 3,000 forms were not usable because of inadequate completion. The results of the census were grossed up to allow for these and missing returns.
711W
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many individuals failed fully to complete the 1971 census.
§ Mr. MoyleA substantial number of forms omitted one or more items of information or included inconsistent answers. No details figures are available. The editing procedures in the Census Office enabled satisfactory statistics to be compiled.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many individuals were prosecuted for failing to complete fully the 1971 census.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the White Paper on the 1981 census of population, Command Paper No. 7146, page 7, paragraph 24, states that there is a need for authoritative and reliable information about the main ethnic minorities.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services with reference to the White Paper on the 1981 census of population, Cmnd. Paper No. 7146, page 7, paragraph 24, which governmental responsibilities under the Race Relations Act specifically require the information to be acquired by the 1981 census.
§ Mr. MoyleThe Race Relations Act makes no specific reference to statistics from the Census of Population. However, the ways in which statistics from the census will help the Government in carrying out their responsibilities under the Act are outlined in Cmnd. 7146, paragraph 24.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the information that lies behind the statement in the White Paper on the 1981 census of population, Cmnd. Paper No. 7146, page 4, paragraph 15, that not all census information will be obtained by questioning the public but that some, such as the type of accommodation, will be noted by 712W enumerators; and on what legal basis enumerators will rely in examining a householder's home.
§ Mr. MoyleEnumerators will not examine a householder's home. They will establish, by observation or oral inquiry, whether a household has sole use of a front door, shares the front door with one or more other household, or shares a front door giving access to a purpose built flat. They will also establish by observation whether a household is occupying a caravan or other nonpermanent accommodation. The power of enumerators will be clearly detailed in the census regulations which will be laid before Parliament for approval in due course.