§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are applied to the appointment of temporary staff for the census.
§ Mr. DorrellTemporary staff employed on 1991 census work fall into two main categories: staff employed locally throughout Great Britain on the data collection operation, and staff employed in two central processing centres.
The temporary data collection staff are employed in a part-time capacity for periods ranging from a few weeks to 11 months. There are four different levels, census area managers, census officers, assistant census officers, and enumerators. The following main criteria were applied in selecting temporary data collection staff:
Census area manager
- Proven record of managing a large work force.
Census officer
- Ability to manage a team of about 50 people.
Assistant census officer
- Ability to supervise a team of up to 17 people.
Enumerator
- Ability to apply detailed instructions and communicate with the public.
The temporary staff in the processing centres are employed in a full-time capacity for periods ranging from eight to 18 months. Most of the posts are for clerical or data processing staff. The following main criteria were applied in selection of temporary staff at the processing centres:
- Ability to assimilate detailed written instructions quickly
- Ability to work quickly and accurately
58 - Numeracy
- Ability to write legibly
- Previous relevant experience
- Evidence of suitable personal and interpersonal qualities
Candidates for all temporary census jobs were selected on individual merit against the criteria. Where candidates were of equal merit, preference was, where possible, given to those currently unemployed and, for the processing centre jobs, to those who had participated in a relevant Government training scheme.
Candidates for all jobs had to be at least 16 years old and those for the processing centres less than 60 years old.
§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing(a) the total projected cost of the current census, (b) staff costs and (c) property costs.
§ Mr. DorrellThe 1991 census of Great Britain is estimated to cost the following over the year period 1986–87 to 1995–96.
£ million Costs Amount Staff costs 102.0 Property costs 10.2 Other costs1 23.8 Total 136.0 1 Includes such items as computing equipment, printing, and publicity.
§ Mr. McMasterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of his staff have been temporarily transferred or seconded to posts relating to the census; and what arrangements have been made to cover their work.
§ Mr. DorrellThe 1991 census in England and Wales is an integral part of the work of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, one of the departments for which my right hon. Friend is responsible. The question of transferring or seconding the office's own staff does not therefore arise. To supplement its permanent staff at the time of the census, the office engages temporary staff by direct recruitment and some staff on temporary secondment from other departments. No staff from the Department of Health are currently seconded for this purpose.