I have made some enquiries about this and a source" close to
government" suggests that although this is the substantial position
we ought not to be too pessimisitic. Furthermore substantial lobbying
at this point on the issue would be very helpful.
So I suggest everyone who cares about it should write to the Home
Secretary and or your MP, and or the Press.
Greg
> Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1999 12:09:00 +0000 (GMT Standard Time)
> Priority: NORMAL
> Subject: Census question
> From: David Voas <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Reply-to: [log in to unmask]
> List members may be interested in the current status of the question
> on religion proposed for England and Wales in the 2001 census.
>
> Including such a question would require changing the current law.
> The Office of National Statistics originally hoped to see an enabling
> bill in the government's legislative programme, but the Queen's
> Speech-writers had other things on their minds. Arrangements are now
> being made to introduce a Private Member's Bill in the House of
> Lords; the ONS has been assured that the bill will receive government
> support. The aim is to obtain royal assent by mid-March.
>
> My personal view is that with the pressure of all the other business
> announced yesterday on the Parliamentary timetable, they'll be lucky
> to get it through.
>
> The question that will or will not be included is the one discussed
> previously on this list, namely "What is your religion?" "None /
> Christian / Buddhist / Hindu / Jewish / Muslim / Sikh / Other". We
> may not be happy about the monolithic Christian category, but that's
> what was used in the census rehearsal earlier this year and they're
> not going to change it now.
>
> David Voas
>
> ----------------------
> Department of Geography
> University of Liverpool
> Liverpool L69 7ZT
> Great Britain
>
> tel: +44 151 794 2840
> fax: +44 151 794 2866
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
Greg Smith (Research Consultant)
Aston Charities Community Involvement Unit
Mayflower Centre
Vincent Street
London E16 1LZ UK
tel 0171 474 2255 Email [log in to unmask]
check out CREDO on our website
http://www.newtel.org.uk/orgs/credo/credo.html
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