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Proceeding contribution from Fiona Mactaggart (Labour) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 21 December 2010. It occurred during Backbench debate on Cabinet Office.


Cabinet Office

The hon. Gentleman is right to make that point, and sampling will take place after the 2011 census, because that will be the last one. Sampling techniques are theoretically great, but I spent 10 years trying to persuade the ONS that its sampling techniques and statistical methods were inadequate, so I know that they are not perfect. To return to resources, the London borough of Wandsworth is about twice the size of Slough and has a similar ethnic mix, yet Wandsworth has two area managers, whereas Slough has one quarter of an area manager. Wandsworth has two community advisers, the same number as Slough, and 23 co-ordinators compared with Slough's five. I do not begrudge Wandsworth that; indeed I live in Wandsworth as well as in Slough, but the ONS, which has shown since 2001 that it does not get Slough and continues not to get Slough. Unless it gets Slough and puts the resources in we will—once again—be under-counted in the 2011 census.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
520 c1334 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Constituencies Community development Devolution Census Population Office for National Statistics Statistics Cabinet Office Perth
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk