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Policy and Methodology

Our preparations for the next census are guided by the Census Act 1920, available on the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website. The Scottish Parliament will be asked to approve a Census Order and Regulations, known as secondary legislation, before 2011. Our approach is supported by key documents - a UK-wide harmonisation agreement and quality strategy.

Scotland’s Census 2011 - Government Statement and Supporting Documents

Scottish Government ministers published proposals for the 2011 Census in December 2008 - Scotland's Census 2011 - A Government Statement. These set out how questionnaires will be securely collected, processed and analysed to produce high-quality statistics.

At the same time, the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) published an evidence paper to support its planned approach to delivering the 2011 Census.

Census Order

A draft Census Order outlining who the census covers, its date and what the questionnaire asks, was laid before Parliament on 26 November 2009. GROS is currently reviewing the draft Census Order to explore ways of incorporating MSPs’ feedback. The draft order will be re-laid before parliament shortly.

Census Regulations

Following the Census Order, Parliament will be asked to approve the Census Regulations (covering collection arrangements and other aspects of the procedures).

United Kingdom Harmonisation

GROS works with the census offices for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The countries’ Registrar Generals have pledged to conduct the census on the same day and to provide comparable census results (subject to the approval, where appropriate, of the relevant legislatures).

2011 Census Quality Strategy

The UK’s census offices have also agreed to apply the principles set out in the 2011 Census Quality Strategy.