§ Lord Thomson of Monifiethasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any plans to introduce into the next national census information about people's religion. [HL3583]
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe Office for National Statistics, along with the two other UK Census Offices (the General Register Office for Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency), has conducted a lengthy programme of consultation with all main census users on their requirements for questions to be considered for inclusion in the 2001 census. Earlier this year the consultation process culminated in the users submitting business cases, setting out the uses and value of census information for each particular topic.
The case for a question on religion is amongst those which are still being considered by Ministers. The Government's proposals for the 2001 census, including the topics to be covered, will be published in a White Paper later this year or early in 1999.
Current legislation, the 1920 Census Act, does not permit a question on religion to be asked in Great Britain. If a question on religion were to be proposed for inclusion in the 2001 census, a change in legislation would be necessary.