Making Census
The next census will take place in 2011. The government is about to decide who it would like to carry out the work. It's a big contract and it's subject that we've already looked into in some detail. . But in these heightened times of data security, deciding who gets to contract is also politically sensitive. Given that participation in the census is compulsory, there is growing concern that one of the shortlisted firms is a huge foreign defence contractor. Lockheed Martin is battling it out with T-Systems to provide data capture and storage services for the 2011 Census.
Lockheed were involved in the last census and have gone on record that no information will leave the Government facilities operated by the Office for National Statistics. Nevertheless, suspicions remain about accountibility as well as the role of the US Patriot Act and its impact on those tasked to carry out the survey. Others object to Lockheed on a point of principle.
We've been speaking to ONS Census Director - Glen Watson. How seriously does he take data security?
We also hope to hear from Lockheed and Philip Redfern, retired director from of Office of Population Censuses and Surveys who thinks the census is increasingly intrusive and discredited.
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Comments
Rupert,
If we can cast doubt on the reliability of the data, perhaps we can ignore the 212,000 new mouths to feed today! A Tsunami's worth every morning!
Happy Solstice!
ed
Thx Ed - may your days be brighter too. I think I've already fessed up that I am no stat man but I am convinced the census may have had its day - and if it has -is there a better way to monitor the population of the UK?
The Census is still not as intrusive and as risky to public safety and privacy as the controversial National Identity Register scheme, which, unlike the Census is designed to share individually identifiable people's data amongst Government and Private sector bureaucracies. (see the NO2ID Campaign)
It is all very well talking about Scandinavian style Population Registers, but they operate within a much stronger Data Protection and Privacy environment than that here in the UK - far stronger than the weak and under resourced Information Commissioner's Office.
ohh..making census..I thought it was making cous cous...silly me. Oh well, back to the beach.