National census to be axed after 200 years (General)

by Ralph Cook, Saturday, July 10, 2010, 12:45 (5327 days ago) @ peteressex

As a County Councillor and amateur historian, I have mixed views on it. As a Councillor the inaccuracy of the 2001 census (1.6 million families failed to complete the census), was a big problem as the Government subsidy to Councils is based on census figures of the population of their area + mid-year estimates based on other sources. Many Councils lost huge amounts from their grants because their population according to the 2001 census was lower than expected. For every 1,000 residents failing to appear in the census cost my Council £1m year on year. We lost a total of £85million since 2003.

As a historian I value the snapshot picture the census provides and collectively the statistical information gained from all past census has been invaluable. This is a cost cutting measure but there are more important things to spend half a billion £ on, I agree with that. But will the alternative measures be accurate, flexible and available to future historians, or is the Government simply wanting to save money and disguise trends in our population?

Ralph Cook