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CENSUS DEVELOPMENTS IN SCOTLAND

CENSUS DEVELOPMENTS IN SCOTLAND. Kirsty MacLean General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) 2007 BSPS Conference, St. Andrews. AIM. The best Census ever …. High quality population statistics Geared to user needs Accurate for small areas and small population groups

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CENSUS DEVELOPMENTS IN SCOTLAND

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  1. CENSUS DEVELOPMENTS IN SCOTLAND Kirsty MacLean General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) 2007 BSPS Conference, St. Andrews

  2. AIM • The best Census ever …. • High quality population statistics • Geared to user needs • Accurate for small areas and small population groups • Comparable with 2001 and rest of UK • … in more challenging circumstances

  3. CONSULTATION PROGRAMME • First consultation in Autumn 2004 • Second consultation ended 7 June • Formal proposal to Parliament Autumn 2008 • Rehearsal Spring 2009 • Census Order and Census Regulations to Parliament early 2010

  4. Current working assumptions • Hoping for 4 pages of individual questions – but only possible if funding secured • 2-column layout

  5. Household Questions

  6. Household Questions • Working assumption of one page • Less pressure for space than individual questions • User requirements for housing questions

  7. Household questions - Likely to be included • Accommodation type • Household tenure • Type of landlord • Central Heating • Self-contained accommodation • Number of rooms • Number of vehicles

  8. Household questions – Under consideration • State of repairs • Household income • Telephone number

  9. Spring 2007 Consultation: Income • Majority in favour of a question on income • A few commented against • Preference for personal income question, but household sufficient if space constraints

  10. Household questions – Not likely to be included Topics from 2001 • Access to bath/shower and toilet • Lowest floor level • Furnished/Unfurnished

  11. Household questions – Not likely to be included New Topics • Registered Croft • Internet access • Rapidly changing • Decrease in utility of outputs • Garden access • Pet ownership • Eat meals together • Renewable energy sources • User need not high enough to justify inclusion

  12. Spring 2007 Consultation: Housing Quality • General support for new format Central Heating question • Some support for information on State of Repairs • Limited support for energy efficiency question • Very limited support for crofting question

  13. Possible questionnaire content- Individual questions

  14. Factors considered • Support main objectives of Census • Maximise overall response rates and minimise differences across areas / population groups • Meet strongest user requirements • Government resource allocation / Policy development • Continuity with existing Census information

  15. Individual questions - Likely to be included Basic demographics • Name • Sex • Date of Birth • Marital/Civil Partnership status Other basic information • Student status • Term-time address

  16. Individual questions - Likely to be included Migration • Country of birth • Address one year ago

  17. Individual questions - Under consideration Migration - New Topics • Month and Year of arrival in UK/Scotland • Citizenship

  18. Spring 2007 Consultation: Migration • Support for address one year ago and country of birth • Some support for month and year of entry • Little support for citizenship question

  19. Individual questions - Likely to be included Ethnicity, Identity, Language & Religion • Ethnic group • National identity • Gaelic language question • Religion

  20. Spring 2007 Consultation: Language • Majority in favour of question collecting information on languages • English (and Gaelic) most requested • Also requested Eastern European and minority ethnic languages, BSL • Polarised views on Scots language

  21. Individual questions - Likely to be included Health and care • Health status • Long-term illness / disability • Carer

  22. Spring 2007 Consultation: Health and Care • Strong support for extended question on limiting long term illness • Strong support for carers question • General support for 5 point scale used in general health question

  23. Individual questions - Likely to be included National Statistics Socio-Economic Class (NS-SEC) • Occupation • Self-employed or employee • Supervisor status • Ever worked

  24. Individual questions - Likely to be included Other labour market • Economic activity – 5 questions • Address of workplace • Travel to work

  25. Individual questions - Under consideration Labour market - topics from 2001 • Industry • Hours worked • Name of employer

  26. Spring 2007 Consultation: NS-SEC & Labour market • Majority opposed to collection of less detailed data • Strong support for retention of questions on industry and hours worked • Less support for question on size of workplace

  27. Individual questions - Under consideration Topics from 2001 • Qualifications

  28. Spring 2007 Consultation: Qualifications • Majority support and state clear requirement for retention of question on qualifications • Wide range of uses identified

  29. Individual questions - Under consideration New Topics • Second residences Spring 2007 Consultation: Second residences • Over half indicated interest in topic • Small proportion felt high priority • Responses split on whether data would be used

  30. Individual questions - Not likely to be included New topics • Large number of new topics requested • Sexual Identity • Country of previous residence • Negative Discrimination • Children given birth to • How safe you feel in your area

  31. The Next Steps Further consideration will be given to topics for inclusion over the coming months…. • Responses to recent consultation and other evidence • Input from Scottish Government • Technical considerations • Continued liaison with other UK Census offices

  32. Internet Completion Current working assumption is to offer an internet option for Households to complete Census forms. Current assumption is that all Households will still receive a paper form. Internet only supplementary.

  33. Internet Completion Number of challenges still to be addressed: • Security • Authentication of households • Enumeration strategy is traditional hand delivery - how will Internet interact • Over enumeration • Processing becomes more complex

  34. Gaelic In 2001 we provided a Gaelic leaflet but not a Gaelic questionnaire. Working with SE Gaelic Unit and Bòrd na Gàidhlig to see how best to comply with 2005 Gaelic Language Act

  35. Gaelic Range of possibilities • Gaelic (or bilingual) questionnaire • Leaflet with translation of questions to Gaelic • Gaelic language facility on Census Helpline • Gaelic online completion

  36. Census Test Evaluation Research Young Men and the Census Research by TNS System 3 for GROS

  37. Background • In the 2001 Census, around 200,000 people in Scotland did not complete the Census form • Lower levels of completion were evident among a number of target groups, including young men, aged 18-30 • West Dunbartonshire was identified as an area where completion rates among this group were particularly low

  38. Background • Qualitative research was commissioned • to explore attitudes towards the Census • to identify factors influencing participation and non-participation

  39. Audience characteristics Non Completers Self-interested; alienated from society Deeply suspicious of government: ‘out to get them’ Some ‘playing’ the benefits system; defensive Completers Higher sense of social responsibility Many feel they have nothing to hide; therefore nothing to lose in completing the form Some evidence of wariness towards the government, however Poorly educated, staunchly patriotic

  40. Awareness & understanding of the Census • Awareness of the Census is patchy • understanding of its purpose limited (often non-existent) • especially among non completers • Better informed individuals tend to acknowledge its statistical importance as a data gathering exercise… • …but feel that nothing really happens as a result of doing it; unsure as to why the government needs the information • genealogy / historical records? • taxes?

  41. Three main attitudinal groups: each share a common thread… UNINFORMED AND CAN’T BE BOTHERED What is the Census for? UNINFORMED AND WORRIED ABOUT REPERCUSSIONS UNINFORMED, BUT ‘SOMETHING YOU SHOULD DO’

  42. Lack of understanding of the Census is a key issue… THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO CATCH ME OUT THE GOVERNMENT AREN’T INTERESTED IN HELPING ME WHAT’S THE POINT? NOTHING SEEMS TO CHANGE AS A RESULT ABOUT REDUCING BENEFITS OR INCREASING TAXES ABOUT ‘POLITICAL CORRECTNESS’ FEEL IGNORED NO OBVIOUS PERSONAL OR SOCIAL GAIN

  43. Barriers to Census form completionTwo main issues LACK OF UNDERSTANDING LACK OF INCENTIVE Purpose of Census unclear: a ‘pointless’ exercise? Government mistrust: Fear of repercussions Not compulsory No obvious personal benefit or benefit to the local community Have no particular desire to ‘help’ the government anyway Intimidating, uninviting form: looks like it might take a long time to complete

  44. Encouraging Census form completion LACK OF UNDERSTANDING LACK OF INCENTIVE Appeal to Scottish pride Ensure that individuals understand the purpose of the Census Reassure that the Census is not designed to catch them out Emphasise the benefits of the Census for them and their community Ensure that all communication materials (including the form) are written in simple, clear terms

  45. Responseto the Form

  46. Combination of brown envelope and window commonly identified as either ‘Junk’ or ‘Trouble’ First impressions count… Can’t assume everyone knows what this is and understands its importance ‘Dear Householder’ immediately suggests ‘Unimportant’ Text uninspiring; no reason to open the envelope or take interest in its contents; looks like hard work ‘Who?’

  47. The form:Appearance • The overall ‘look’ of the form is uninviting for many; too ‘official’ • (For those who read it) the introductory paragraph is not compelling

  48. The form:Content • In some cases, terminology can be confusing e.g. What is your marital or civil partnership status? • Some questions give rise to suspicion e.g. How many hours a week do you work?

  49. General • Advertising awareness for the Test Census was very low • As a result, the Census forms arrived with practically no advance warning • Most recipients were uninformed

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