HC Deb 22 February 1993 vol 219 cc477-8W
Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of residents of England and Wales are estimated to have been missed by each census since 1971, taking account of any follow-up surveys.

Mr. Sackville

[holding answer 17 February 1993]: Results of the 1981 census post enumeration survey indicated a net undercount of about 0.4 per cent. of people present in private households. This degree of under-enumeration was of the same magnitude as that indicated by the coverage checks following the census of 1971.

The 1981 census did not attempt to enumerate residents of households wholly absent on census night (except as visitors if they were elsewhere in the country). Taking this into account, the total under-coverage of residents in most census statistical tables was about 2.2 per cent. Allowing for residents in wholy absent households who were enumerated as visitors elsewhere in the country (1.3 per cent.), the proportion of residents not counted in the census was 0.9 per cent.

Unlike the earlier censuses, the 1991 census sought to enumerate residents of households wholly absent on census night, either by obtaining the information when people returned to their home address or by imputation, so the analyses of under-enumeration are not directly comparable. The 1991 census validation survey identified sources of error which indicated that about 0.6 per cent. of residents in households had not been counted. From other sources, it is estimated that a further 1.3 per cent. of the resident population was missed for reasons not identified by this survey, giving a total of 1.9 per cent.

Further details for the 1981 and 1991 censuses are given in annex A to the 1991 "Census National Monitor for Great Britain", a copy of which is in the Library.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of infants aged under one year she estimates were missed by the census in(a) inner London, (b) outer London, (c) metropolitan districts, (d) urban non-metropolitan districts and (e) other non-metropolitan districts in England and Wales.

Mr. Sackville

[holding answer 17 February 1993]: The estimated proportions of infants aged under one year missed by the 1991 census were 8.8 per cent. in inner London, 4.1 per cent. in outer London, 3.7 per cent. in metropolitan districts outside London, 2.9 per cent. in non-metropolitan cities, and 1.9 per cent. in other non-metropolitan districts (3.0 per cent. in England and Wales as a whole). Appropriate allowances for these people have been made in compiling the provisional rebased 1991 population estimates.

Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will conduct a thorough review of the geographical distribution of census undercount for the final mid 1991 population estimates; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Sackville

[holding answer 17 February 1993]: The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is currently carrying out further geographical analyses of results from the census validation survey, and also of other factors that contributed to the provisional set of mid-1991 population estimates. The outcome of these investigations will be reported in conjuction with the final mid 1991 population estimates, to be published in June 1993.