§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the reasons for the difficulties encountered when the trial ethnic question for the 1981 census was tried out in Haringey; and whether similar difficulties are expected with the 1991 census.
§ Mrs. CurrieCo-operation from the public in the test carried out in Haringey in 1979 was seriously hampered by an organised campaign of opposition which was given considerable publicity in the media. The campaign contended that information collected in the test was linked with plans to change the nationality laws in a manner that would worsen the status of ethnic minority groups in Britain. Such fears were unfounded, but the level of opposition at the time of the test and subsequently during consultation with organisations representing ethnic minority groups was sufficient to show that an ethnic origin question was not acceptable at that time.
The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and the Commission for Racial Equality are currently holding meetings with community relations officers and representatives of ethnic minority organisations to find out why some people are worried about a possible ethnic origin question in the census so that ways can be found to remove any mistaken doubts and fears if such a question were to be included in the 1991 census. These meetings follow a recent series of tests carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys to develop an effective form of wording of such a question.