§ Mr. Edward Gardnerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to lay the draft order containing the Government's decision on the topics to be included in the 1981 census of population.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThe draft order in Council has been said before the House today.
The Government have looked very carefully at the plans for 1971 and have decided that some of the questions proposed can be dropped. The 1981 census will be the shortest, simplest census for 50 years. There will be no ethnic question.
The results of the census will be produced more quickly than before and I hope that preliminary figures will be available a few weeks after census day. Detailed figures for individual districts should be available from early in 1982, national tables will appear from about mid 1982. All the main results should be available by mid-1984.
The Registrar-General for England and Wales is publishing today two OPCS Monitors (CEN 80/1 and CEN 80/2) providing additional information about the plans for the 1981 Census and about the ethnic question tests held in Haringey and elsewhere. Copies of both documents are being placed in the Library.