New Official Ethnicity Classification Proposed for Scotland's 2011 Census

30 July 2008

The Scottish Government (SG) has announced a new ethnicity classification which is recommended for Scotland's 2011 Census and for use in all relevant Scottish Official Statistics. GROS worked with the SG to review the ethnicity classification. The new classification is set out in a report on the SG's website, along with the wide ranging evidence - including research, consultation and question testing - used to develop it.

The review identified benefits in developing a separate national identity question for use on the census questionnaire and relevant Scottish Official Statistics. When used with the classification this would allow people to self-express their 'Scottish-ness', 'British-ness' or any other national identity, more fully, before they go on to express their ethnic origin or heritage. We will now work with the SG to develop and test a census national identity question. The work is expected to be published in Autumn 2008 and will appear on the SG's website.