If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

- George Washington

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Census Questions

For England can be found here, and for Wales here. As far as I can see, the only difference is in the order of nationalities in Q15, where Welsh comes first on the Welsh version, and vice versa on the English, and Q17 on facility with the Welsh language, which is 'intentionally blank' on the English version. I understand the Scots have their own version, but I couldn't find this on the ONS website.

Some of the questions, in fact many of them, seem quite legitimate, and I have no problem about answering them. My name, date of birth, and occupation seem inocuous enough, and a few basic facts about my house are hardly something I need to keep private. My real problem is where the questions seem to have a concealed agenda, and seem to relate to social engineering and political issues, rather than simple hard population data collection. Why on earth, for example, do they need to know if my house is heated by gas or wood? It couldn't be anything to do with a fantasy-driven energy policy, could it? Or my ethnic group - gathering the evidence for more 'special treatment' for supposed minorities?

One question I will be answering in thick black permanent marker is Q41, where I get to tell them how I get to work. 'Motorcycle' is a listed option. Yay!

I'm sure I can work some oppressed victimhood in there, somehow.

7 comments:

  1. "I understand the Scots have their own version, but I couldn't find this on the ONS website."

    The Scots have a GROS website!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Looking in the wrong place, as usual. Thanks for that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. l won't be on anyones census that is for sure. 27th March l'll prob be in Europe somewhere and l don't have a permanent address in UK.

    I wont worry about it too much though.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Scab! Get back here and be passive-aggressive like the rest of us.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm happy to answer those.

    Ethnic group: Human.

    House heated by: A combination of the effects of chemistry and physics.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think all bloggers should post on this then a vast pool of responses will be available to them. There's an idea.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good idea, Rose. I tag you to make a start ...

    ReplyDelete

Comment is free, according to C P Scott, so go for it. Word verification is turned off for the time being. Play nicely.

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