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The ONS has confirmed that the denominators used for the Census reponse rates at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/downloads/responserates.xls are the ONC estimates of total population. That information makes it possible to give a picture of the kind of problem faced by the ONS in some areas. In Westminster, for example, the response rate for males in the 25-29 age group is given as 66%. But the ONC estimate of the population of Westminster was 25% below that expected by demographic projection. So the apparent response rate in Westminster before the ONC estimated was made was probably less that 50%. The apparent response rate in Kensington and Chelsea for males in this 25-29 age group may have been even lower. (Are these the statistics that Westminster, Chelsea, Manchester, etc. want published?) Ian Diamond declared at the RSS meeting last October that difficult-to-believe response rates of this kind were the 'clinching factor' in deciding that the demographic projections were wrong, and that 800,000 males had emigrated. What kind of reasoning underpinned that decision? See next message for an attempt at an answer. Ray Thomas, Social Sciences, Open University Tel: 01908 679081 Fax 01908 550401 Email: [log in to unmask] 35 Passmore, Milton Keynes MK6 3DY ****************************************************** Please note that if you press the 'Reply' button your message will go only to the sender of this message. If you want to reply to the whole list, use your mailer's 'Reply-to-All' button to send your message automatically to [log in to unmask] *******************************************************