19.03.2009 Celebrities Back Scottish Census
Three Scottish celebrities have highlighted the importance of the census ahead of its rehearsal - in west Edinburgh, Lewis and Harris - later this month.
Scotland’s census organiser, the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) is rehearsing the questions and arrangements to deliver and process the questionnaires ahead of the next census, set for 27 March 2011.
Comedian and impersonator Rory Bremner, TV presenter and journalist Kirsty Wark and radio and TV presenter Grant Stott have all highlighted the value of the census.
Census results help the government, local authorities and businesses plan and provide a wide range of public services, including health, housing, transport and education. The individual census records are kept confidential for 100 years after each census, when they are released, for example to family historians. Television programmes such as ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ regularly feature census records.
Rory Bremner explains: “Having recently researched my family for a BBC programme, I can testify that the census, far from being a boring administrative exercise, is a valuable and fascinating resource for today’s planners and tomorrow’s historians alike. Take your place in history as it’s being written!”
Kirsty Wark said: “Census information is endlessly fascinating. Since the census began, it has been a mine of information offering us a chance to see how society has changed and is obviously still changing.”
Grant Stott also voiced his support of Scotland’s census: "I wasn't all that sure of the purpose of a census until I spent some time tracing my family history a few years back and found that the census records were invaluable. The data contained was fascinating and gave a real insight into life at different stages in our history. And we need to keep them going for future generations, especially as life changes so rapidly these days."
The rehearsal will offer most householders the option to complete census questionnaires online for the first time, in English or Gaelic.
GROS will send rehearsal questionnaires to around 50,000 households. The completed responses will help GROS to identify any necessary refinements to its arrangements for Gaelic speakers, people living in urban and rural areas and those in places such as hospitals, student accommodation and care homes.
Rehearsal questionnaire responses will be treated confidentially, just like the census itself. All enumerators have been security checked and have signed an undertaking that they will protect the privacy of personal information. They will all carry official photographic identification. Anyone with doubts about their authenticity can contact the census helpline.
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