Time to submit your 2021 Census comments

The Office for National Statistics public consultation which is considering the questions to be asked in the 2021 England & Wales Census is nearing completion - now is the time to submit your comments. If you follow my step-by-step advice it shouldn't take you more than 15 or 20 minutes - which is no time at all considering the importance of past censuses to family historians. You don't have to complete it in a single session, but don't forget the consultation closes at midnight (London time) on Thursday 27th August.

Here's what I would recommend:

• Focus on the questions that are of most importance to family historians - ignore questions which are clearly aimed at users of census statistics. Note that similar questions appear for each topic - make sure you are responding to the correct topic! Always click the Save and Return to Contents button at the bottom of the page - don't use the back button in your browser.
• You must answer the initial questions on the page headed About you - only provide the name of your organisation if you are submitting your response on behalf of that organisation. I recommend you allow your name to be published - this will underline your commitment and enable the family historians of the future to honour you.
• You must confirm on the second page that you have read and understood the information there.
• On the page headed Basic demographics and household composition I would suggest answering "No" to question 1a then answering questions 2a, 2b, and 2c.
• Unless you have a particular interest in any of the other topics I'd suggest skipping to Your additional topic suggestion 1 and proposing that birthplaces are collected, rather than birth countries. It's important to recognise that some people won't know precisely where they were born, so respondents should be invited to give whatever detail is available. In some cases this will be a precise address or hospital, others may only know the town or village.
• Please bear in mind that for family historians a key aim is to be able to identify the correct birth certificate, especially where the surname is a common one. I would suggest answering all parts of questions 1 and 2, omitting 3 and 4, and answering "Not important" to 5a. Skip other questions until you get to 8a - my response to this will be "No", and I'll then describe in 8b the risks of relying only on BMD certificates, and point out that many other sources that might be used by statisticians immediately after the census (ie what they describe as 'administrative data') probably won't be available in 2122 when the census is published since many holders of personal data will be obliged to delete it under the Data Protection Act, and others will delete it once it is no longer of value to them.
• I will conclude my comments in 8b by pointing out that birthplace information has not been collected since 1951, and that since the 2021 Census will probably be the last conventional census the heritage value of the information is enormous. As family historians we all know from personal experience how frustrating the limited birthplace information in the 1841 Census is - just imagine if we didn't have later censuses to guide us!

It's very important that the views expressed, and the wording you use, are your own - my suggestions are intended to guide you quickly through the document. Remember too that this consultation is about 2021 alone - the question of what happens after 2021 is unlikely to be decided for some years.

We won't benefit directly from the 2021 Census - this is all about leaving a legacy for the family historians of the future.

Note: I'm not aware of any current consultation regarding the Scotland and Northern Ireland censuses.

 

Done.

 

Gillian, I'll be including the info above in my newsletter tomorrow - if there's anything I should add please let me know.

Thanks!

 

Gillian, I can always update the newsletter if there's anything important to add - it takes over a day to send out all the emails and most people don't pick up their email immediately.

 

I think most family historians would tick Agree in 2a, and tick High in 2b. It's hard to answer 2c because it's not designed for people like us, but personally I would probably say that BMD certificates are an expensive and poor substitute.

 

In 2011 the address was preprinted on the form - I don't think we need to mention it.