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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] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%