2011 Census - Page 6

Margaret Pilkington · 13-03-2011, 13:46

Margaret, that is an obscene amount of money....but hey, maybe the government will recoup some of it when the info hits the big wide world........and I don't mean in a hundred years either.

garinda · 13-03-2011, 16:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by MargaretR

The cost of this census is variously described as between £450,000,000 and £480,000,000.

Ridicule is not humour

I read in the Sunday Times the cost was even greater, at £482 million pounds.

Benipete · 13-03-2011, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

I read in the Sunday Times the cost was even greater, at £482 million pounds.

I lent them the other 2 million,Just waiting for my peerage now.

accyman · 13-03-2011, 16:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benipete

I lent them the other 2 million,Just waiting for my peerage now.

that would have bought you a labour peerage but under tories the amount is 10 x that amount sory

yerself · 13-03-2011, 17:26

Here's another estimate of the cost. As this was in October 2008 no doubt it has risen since then.

Eric Pickles uncovers cost of 2011 Census

As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the estimated total cost to the public purse is of the 2011 Census, and how much has been spent to date on trials prior to that Census. (230808)

On the basis of present planning assumptions, the cost of the 2011 Census in England and Wales over the period 2005-2016 is currently estimated to be around £487 million.

jaysay · 14-03-2011, 10:17

The census, from what I have read, plays an important part of future planing in every aspect of life, health education housing everything that effects our everyday lives, well it has been taking place for a long time, but one would think that forward planning is more important than ever before

Margaret Pilkington · 14-03-2011, 11:07

While I accept that John, there are some questions which just seem nosey, but nosey in a controlling sort of way.

Lots of this information the government already has on file about us......they know from Council Tax records what type of house we live in, from the records of the DVLA, whether we drive or not. From DWP they know we are pensioners, and from the same source they will have records of our past employment.

The companies given the job of safeguarding this info (remember it is supposed to be confidential for 100 years) have a very poor track record of keeping sensitive information safe....and the final sting is that regardless of what the ONS site says we are obliged to share this info with all 26 members of the EU and the US.

If I thought I could get away with putting my copy in the bin.......I would do it(except, himself would probably fish it out.....but it is me who would fill it in).

jaysay · 14-03-2011, 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

While I accept that John, there are some questions which just seem nosey, but nosey in a controlling sort of way.

Lots of this information the government already has on file about us......they know from Council Tax records what type of house we live in, from the records of the DVLA, whether we drive or not. From DWP they know we are pensioners, and from the same source they will have records of our past employment.

The companies given the job of safeguarding this info (remember it is supposed to be confidential for 100 years) have a very poor track record of keeping sensitive information safe....and the final sting is that regardless of what the ONS site says we are obliged to share this info with all 26 members of the EU and the US.

If I thought I could get away with putting my copy in the bin.......I would do it(except, himself would probably fish it out.....but it is me who would fill it in).

Glad to see himself keeps you on the straight and narrow Margaret

Margaret Pilkington · 14-03-2011, 12:22

He does when he knows what I am planning.......but if I keep my gob shut(yes....I know that is a strange concept) I could pretend to be taking it to the post and plop it into someone elses bin(walks away grinning evilly).

jaysay · 14-03-2011, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

He does when he knows what I am planning.......but if I keep my gob shut(yes....I know that is a strange concept) I could pretend to be taking it to the post and plop it into someone elses bin(walks away grinning evilly).

Glad you put those comments in brackets Margaret, well saves me doing it

grannyclaret · 14-03-2011, 19:09

got ours last week...posted back yesterday,,,hope it dosnt come back because we missed a minor detail

bullseyebarb · 16-03-2011, 15:55

I agree with Margaret.

The purpose of a census is to count heads. Period. In the past, any additional questions asked were of a simple nature, limited to such things as age, sex, place of birth and occupation. These days, the main purpose appears to be identifying status and income....so that the latter can be redistributed at the whim of government.

Just as in England, the U.S. also threatens a penalty for failure to complete a census form. The only question I ever answer is to list the number of persons in my household. Everything else is left blank....and I have never been challenged on this by any government employee.

Restless · 16-03-2011, 22:21

can they really do you for not filling the thing in?

Mick · 17-03-2011, 06:11

Finally got mine yesterday

I was feeling left out hehe

kestrelx · 17-03-2011, 10:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Mine came today too.

Using a pen, to fill it in?

Wish me luck.

Why do you need luck to fill out a form?

Last time I stuck it in a cupboard and forgot about it!

Why do they need to know what qualifications you've got?

Everywhere you go these days the amount of information they have is far more than they need. I went for tests at the hospital few weeks back and they wanted me to fill out a massive questionaire there that had more questions than were needed and I refused to fill that out. Luckily that didn't come with a fine!