Jump to content

Census


asperity

Recommended Posts

Here are the ten worst lies you will be told in the coming weeks:

1. The Census is essential for government and business planning

 

On the contrary, it is worse than useless because it is expensive, inaccurate, and quickly out of date.

2. Our Census data is trusted and respected worldwide

 

Even were this true, should we care? Most countries do have some sort of census, but would being respected at doing something essentially useless be worth more than ?300 millio.

3. It's a great source for genealogy

 

100 or 200 years ago there was little record of most people's lives, and old censuses may be the only documents available. It is ludicrous to assume the same will apply in 100 years time, and outrageous to suggest it justifies spending public money.

4. It's 'good for employment', it provides jobs.

 

Temporary ones, Yet the money spent would otherwise be spent on something ? probably something useful involving permanent jobs.

5. Census data is confidential for 100 years.

 

Not any more. Census forms are kept from the public for 100 years. But EU legislation allows the 2011 census to be shared with all 27 member states, and the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 created powers to share the information with public bodies, and "approved researchers".

6. The census results in high-quality information.

 

No one knows how many people lie in their return. The 2001 census is generally believed to have 'missed' around 900,000 men under 40.

7. Everyone should be proud of playing their part in the census.

 

There is no reason to be proud of being tallied like cattle. There is every reason to oppose the waste and the intrusion. There is a long history of public resentment of the census.

In the 1800s census officers had to be given police protection; in 1911 the suffragettes boycotted it in protest; and in the 50s TV publicity told people it wasn't "another bit of snooping"

8. Communities can use census statistics to help gain recognition.

 

Whether a group is "officially recognised" is a political decision, not the same as individuals being located and categorised. 390,127 people recorded their religion as Jedi in 2001; they have yet to be officially recognised. More seriously, the Board of Deputies says the census underestimates British Jews, precisely because some of that community are nervous of officials knowing where they live.

9. Completing the census is straightforward, convenient and secure.

 

New questions are more intrusive than ever before, requiring details of employer's addresses, the details of any visitors to your house, and where they usually live. This is a direct danger to people who have sensitive occupations. The online version is a perfect cover for phishing attacks.

10. Your personal information is protected

 

Security is only as good as the shortest route to breaking it. Thousands of people will be involved, large commercial contractors and government agencies will process it, and the law newly provides that the data may be accessed for a variety of reasons, not just for making a statistical summary.

It cannot be guaranteed there won't be a security breach, or that data once captured will be used legitimately.

 

They cannot protect it; they shouldn't collect it.

 

Copied from NO2ID. Please go to their site for more information.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 195
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

100 or 200 years ago there was little record of most people's lives, and old censuses may be the only documents available. It is ludicrous to assume the same will apply in 100 years time,

 

If old censuses were the only documents available 100-200 years ago why is it ludicrous to assume that the same will apply in the next 100 years. :?:?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oooh i didn't know they shared it immediately with member states etc. :shock:

 

I quite like the census though as if it hadn't existed I wouldn't have been able to trace my dads side of the family back to 1841 last week. That's when they started doing the census.

 

Until then he only knew his grandads name, two aunts and uncles and one address. We now 'know' of over 60 other people in the direct family tree and their addresses, professions, kids etc etc... and now we are branching out sidewards.

 

Its really interesting and I've even got a copy of the original form that was completed and signed by my Great Grandad in his own handwriting.

 

You never know if I somehow manage to go back even further (which is difficult with no census pre 1841) I may find out that we were responsible for G&J Greenalls gin :wink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

100 or 200 years ago there was little record of most people's lives, and old censuses may be the only documents available. It is ludicrous to assume the same will apply in 100 years time,

 

If old censuses were the only documents available 100-200 years ago why is it ludicrous to assume that the same will apply in the next 100 years. :?:?

 

I assume you're using a computer? 100 years ago the information technology we have today did not exist. Today there are databases full of information about everybody, so saying that the information given on this years' census forms will be useful to geneologists in 100 years is ludicrous. The government already has more than enough information about me without prying into my personal life thank you very much. :twisted::twisted:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dizzy, your rooting through your roots has just added to the xmas card list. :wink:

 

The census is a bit like ID cards. A waste of time and money because it only tells you where the "honest UK citizens live.

 

It doesn't tell of the thousands of illegal scroungers etc that alter the stats. :roll:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dizzy, your rooting through your roots has just added to the xmas card list. :wink:

 

The census is a bit like ID cards. A waste of time and money because it only tells you where the "honest UK citizens live.

 

It doesn't tell of the thousands of illegal scroungers etc that alter the stats. :roll:

 

It's not added to my xmas card list at all Peter..... my ancersters going back to 1841 are dead beleive it or not :P:D

 

100 years down the line someone could sit there and look up from 1911 to 2011 and find the rest of my family (who as far as I know have all been honest UK citizens and not illegal scroungers).

 

How impressed will my decendants be when they find me with FOUR ocupations on the day those being 'Finance and Locistics Manager', 'Psycologist', 'Overseer of Poor Students' and 'IT Support and Design'.... now what else do I do that I can give a posh title too :lol::wink:

 

We could all have some fun with it actually :oops:

 

Will you all be truthful with your ocupation title as really you could call it whatever you like :lol:

 

Peter could be a 'Trainee Spam Administrator'... that should confuse people. :lol:

 

Anyone know what columns and questions are actually on it this year ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only census the general public have free access to is the 1881 census and that is only because an American religious group - The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints went around the UK photographing church records, all the rest from 1841 to 1901 you have to pay some thieving tinpot outfit that bought the rights to OUR heritage and information about our ancestors, thus giving revenue to the BLOODY government yet again. :x:x:x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only census the general public have free access to is the 1881 census and that is only because an American religious group - The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints went around the UK photographing church records, all the rest from 1841 to 1901 you have to pay some thieving tinpot outfit that bought the rights to OUR heritage and information about our ancestors, thus giving revenue to the BLOODY government yet again. :x:x:x

 

I never knew that Algy although ?12 for a months access to ALL the census records and births, deaths, marriages etc etc isn't bad really especially when you can download them too :wink:

 

Genes Reunited are a robbing lot though as it cost me almost ?30 to access a few records (including having to pay for ones which I had no idea if they may/may not have been my family) until I realised I could sign up monthly with Ancestry.co.uk :oops:

 

Strangely enough Ancestry only goes upto the 1901 full census at the moment although it does have the 1911 census summary books but they are a pain to search unless you know the persons occupation and then it only list the head of the household plus number of people :? Genes has the full 1911 census

 

I there's anyone you want me to look up... I've got another 3 weeks left on ancestry site :wink:

 

I'm babbling again SORRY !!!! :oops:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apparently this could be the last census held anyway, as the government can easily get all the information it needs from other sources. So another ?484 million wasted :roll::roll::roll:

 

HOW MUCH :shock::shock: Ooooooh now I see why you are moaning about it. How much is that per head then :?

 

If it IS to be the last one then I agree... it should NOT be done :oops:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would have hoped you would have realised by now that NOTHING government does is cheap. This is because they are spending YOUR money not their own. The time has come to tell them to stop taking us for idiots. They don't need to take 50% + of everything we earn to run the country, but they do and still end up with a massive deficit. Unbelievable :twisted::twisted::twisted::twisted:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just had a quick look on the 2011 Census website.

 

Here's the snapshot of what they ascertained from the census' carried out between 1911 and 2001 :? Not much for the money eh :shock:

 

I think I was slightly blinkered in my previous posts by my family history findings :oops:

 

http://2011.census.gov.uk/files/pdf/1341-Snapshots_from_thecensus_years.pdf

 

More on the other years from 1801 here

 

http://2011.census.gov.uk/Did-you-know.../Census-history/Census-history-facts:-the-first-100-years/Census-year:-1801

 

This video is good though... apparently the Babelonians were the people who started doing census around 6000 years ago so they could work out how much food they needed to find for the population.. and it then continues through the Egyptions, King David, The Romans, The Domesday Book.... very interesting

 

http://2011.census.gov.uk/en/index.php?content_id=1485

 

We don't really need it now do we especially if it costs so much :oops:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In principle, any Government that wishes to respond to the needs of it's people, requires the demographic information necessary to project future social and economic trends and plan service provision accordingly. Unfortunately this is now negated by several factors - private sector market research is ammassing this data in any case: Gov policy tends to be dictated by Party electoral considerations and preparation and planning beyond the 5 yearly electoral time frame doesn't win votes: and with the complete disaray of immigration and visa controls, over a million or so bodies can't be found to be included anyway!. :roll:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...