ralphchadkirk
Established Member
Go on then, who's filling it in and who isn't?
Census' - good idea or not? Intrusive or useful?
Discuss.
Census' - good idea or not? Intrusive or useful?
Discuss.
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2011 Census
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umontu
Member
Yes, as a student I've had about 5 emails reminding me it's a legal requirement for me to complete it.
Well, if people took that attitude it would be very hard for anyone to trace their ancestors.
Everybody is so suspicious, what the hell makes you think you as an individual, or small family unit, are anything government will give two ****s about out of a population of millions?
I just filled it in and sent it off, no need to act the plum!
Everybody is so suspicious, what the hell makes you think you as an individual, or small family unit, are anything government will give two ****s about out of a population of millions?
I just filled it in and sent it off, no need to act the plum!
ralphchadkirk
Established Member
It is, but you still some people refusing to do so.
You're not supposed to fill it in until the 23rd are you? (About then - not got mine in front of me).
ralphchadkirk
Established Member
Agreed. There still is the minority with their tin foil hats on thinking MI5 will use it to track them or something similar!
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Not supposed to fill it in until the 27th March - to take into account people in your house at that time - deaths, births etc.
What a day to choose - we've got an hour less and a huge form to fill in
At least I'm at home that day (so far as I know).
ralphchadkirk
Established Member
What a day to choose - we've got an hour less and a huge form to fill in
I'm sure they planned that!
It's not the civil liberties angle that bothered me, it's the sheer cost to the taxpayer of collating all the bollocks that they ask. What a chuffing waste of money it is asking all of those questions. If the Conservatives are looking for something to cut, they can start by trimming the 2021 census down to the bare essentials.
I thought they'd announced this was likely to be the last.
The alternative though is trying to cobble together information from a variety of sources.
strange6
Established Member
Doing it online takes not time at all. Took me 5 mins. The website automatically skips sections for you if necessary. Excellent
Or alternatively, they could just not bother trying to cobble together information that they don't actually need! I have no objection to a census every 10 years so long as it doesn't cost the taxpayer shedloads of money unnecessarily!
strange6
Established Member
Yes, but it does. 500 million quid. And printed in 56 different languages! Think about that!
heart-of-wessex
Established Member
This is my first one I have ever done, 10 years ago I was 14 so my mum probably filled my part in...
...So since I have never really done one before, what is it for? People say it's for the government to snoop, but then some say it's for records...something to do with ancestors?
What happens then if you fill it in with bull***te? would they know you filled your workplace wrong as you said NASA spacecraft pilot?
...So since I have never really done one before, what is it for? People say it's for the government to snoop, but then some say it's for records...something to do with ancestors?
What happens then if you fill it in with bull***te? would they know you filled your workplace wrong as you said NASA spacecraft pilot?
The principal reason is for ONS to profile the country. The information recorded gets fed back into the Govt via the Civils, so they know where to send money (primarily). All the local budgets are set on information derived from the Census. It's massively important, and an estimate in 2009 for Eurozone area censuses, every £1 spent census collecting saved £3 in mismanaged resources, ie a census allows you to be up to 3x more efficient.
On a side note, if you think you're going to be funny many and put "jedi" as your religion, please don't. You're either religious or you're not. If you put "jedi", you are marked as being religious by the Govt, and thus the church, religious leaders are 'given' more power to influence Govt. Please don't!
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2011/03/12/please-dont-be-a-jedi-on-the-census-again/
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It's a record of this country and it's occupants at whatever time. Whilst most of us will never register in the scheme of life, living firmly in the 'average' doing something such as that would mark you out as traceable as a bit of a knob (not personal, I mean someone who did that).
It isn't to snoop on people, and if people took their eyes away from the ****e TV we import from America, the land of the conspiracy theories, perhaps they could see what it is. It is nothing more than a record of Britain in 2011, although history will surely raise an eyebrow at the amount ticking the unemployed box due to the recession.
*Thinks*
So less than 1 pound per person per year. Sounds better value than a lot of things taxes are spent on.
I'm less keen on it being run by Lockheed Martin.
strange6
Established Member
*Thinks*
There are 60 million people in UK so that's a lot more that 1 pound per person
140 nationwide disabled child care facilities, Hundreds of real policemen, Hundreds of elderly care nurses. I know where my taxes would rather be spent
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
It's over 10 years though. Therefore the £500 million equates to £50 million per year. About 83.3 p per person per year.
heart-of-wessex
Established Member
thank you mumrar for the clarification...just I nearly clicked I take the tram to work for a laugh...then I pictured someone checking out that Trowbridge doesn't have a tram network, doesn't see the funny side then hauls me into jail for marking a government form off wrong...I don't watch TV, maybe I listen too much to those that watch TV from 7am to 11pm...
You've got to think though, it may only be that much per person, per year, but even if that is the case, there are a lot of things that could be better spent on it & the extra money given to the Office for National Statistics to employee extra people to go through the census as it comes through.
All in all 50 Million a year could be much better spent, be it helping old people, funding councils, improving local facilities, improving cities and towns. There is a lot of things 50 Million a year could improve.
strange6
Established Member
Aye, it sounds good value when you put it like that but 500 million is still 500 million quid. A lot of money when you consider the average council this year is making cuts of 50 - 100 million pounds.
Yes, but if you read post 16 by Pumbaa, if true and I don't doubt that it is, it makes a whole lot of sense.
Also have a look here:
http://help.census.gov.uk/england/help/help-and-information/AbouttheCensus/Benefitsofthecensus/
The motto for this years census is "help tomorrow take shape" - pretty self-explanatory I think!
And yes, I too aren't too happy with Lockheed doing the Census, but it just doesn't make sense not to do it in protest. There are better ways to voice my discontent.
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Also this, to appreciate just how seriously local councils etc take the Census as a means of getting their full and fair allocation of funding:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/local-gov...2011/mar/08/poll-census-value-for-money-waste
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Also in 2009, the National Audit Office confirmed it was happy with the value for money obtained by the 2001 Census.
www.ons.gov.uk/census/...census/.../census.../cag--10-17-census-objectives.pdf
Also a period 20% real cost reduction from 1991 to 2001 to 2011 achieved through streamlining and computerisation.
http://help.census.gov.uk/england/help/help-and-information/AbouttheCensus/Benefitsofthecensus/
The motto for this years census is "help tomorrow take shape" - pretty self-explanatory I think!
And yes, I too aren't too happy with Lockheed doing the Census, but it just doesn't make sense not to do it in protest. There are better ways to voice my discontent.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also this, to appreciate just how seriously local councils etc take the Census as a means of getting their full and fair allocation of funding:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/local-gov...2011/mar/08/poll-census-value-for-money-waste
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also in 2009, the National Audit Office confirmed it was happy with the value for money obtained by the 2001 Census.
www.ons.gov.uk/census/...census/.../census.../cag--10-17-census-objectives.pdf
Also a period 20% real cost reduction from 1991 to 2001 to 2011 achieved through streamlining and computerisation.
I totally support the census, but does anyone know why it lets you fill it in online when it asks you questions about what you did on the 27th March? Surely it could check and see that I had attempted to fill it in early (before I didn't realise) and tell me to come back later?
About the Jedi thing. Jedi are catagorically excluded from religious protection acts (alongside 'religions' such as satanisim) However three people marked their religion as sith last census. and still are protected in their beleifs. Surely thats the wrong message to send out.
Oh And if you want, put pastafarianisim as your religion http://www.venganza.org/
Oh And if you want, put pastafarianisim as your religion
http://www.venganza.org/Why not just put your religion (or not) on the form and have done with!!
There are plenty of opportunities to mess around and I'm not sure the Census is one of them. People did it last time, and it got in the media, so I really don't think it will be funny the second time around.
There are plenty of opportunities to mess around and I'm not sure the Census is one of them. People did it last time, and it got in the media, so I really don't think it will be funny the second time around.
sprinterguy
Veteran Member
I believe the idea is that you are meant to fill it in with regard to what your situation will be on March 27th, even if you fill it in early. This is particularly important with concern to the "visitors" section. The idea is that the Census is a snap shot of a particular day in time.
What information do they not actually need? And why?
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