Senseless Census
I refused to participate in the UK National Census in 2001- this is illegal. As the Census form (uncompleted which I still have) explained:
'To the Householder, Joint Householders or members of the household aged 16 or over:
The Census is a count every ten years of all people and households in the country. Census information is used by central and local government, health authorities and many other organisations to allocate resources and plan services for everyone. The Office for National Statistics conducts the Census in England and Wales.
Completing your form
Completion of the Census form is compulsory under the Census Act 1920. If you refuse to complete it, or give false information, you may be liable to a fine. This liability does not apply to question 10 on religion. The requirement for you to return a completed form will not be satisfied until such a form as been received. If you need help please contact the Census Helpline.
Confidentiality
The information you provide is protected by law and treated in strict confidence. The information is only used for statistical purposes, and anyone disclosing or using Census information improperly will be liable to prosecution. Census forms will be held securely. Under the current terms of the Public Records Act 1958, the date will be treated as confidential for a period of 100 years.'
My reasons for not completing the census forms was simple and clear- I simply believe that people have right to privacy and should not be forced under law to respond to strangers harassing them to get personal information from them. A compulsory census is very much like the compulsory requirement for citizens to attend jury service- albeit on a lesser scale. Of course as a taxpayer and significant contributor as an individual and employer to the country, I feel that I do more than enough. I have no personal requirement for any government services and there are far more initiatives other than information gathering to improve efficiency in government spending and planning- which is itself an impossible task. What a waste of money it is to aggregate all this information- the government does not to plan services, the market will do that. A pamphlet that came with the census form states that 'it is impossible to plan services for invisible people'- that is correct for entirely the opposite reasons- the invisible hand of the market will deliver all the services that people require, even if they are invisible (which is of course their absolute right in a free society).
The first UK census was in 1801 and the process is governed by an archaic act from nearly a century ago- the process needs to be eliminated.
The government appoints busybodies across the country to enforce the Census bureaucracy. I received several visits and letters, including:
'Dear Householder
I have still not received a completed Census form from you, and representatives of the Census Office have now made repeated attempts to contact you to obtain a completed form. Completion of the Census form is compulsory under the Census Act 1920 and refusal to comply may result in a fine.
Please note that the requirement for you to return a completed form will not be satisfied until such a form has been received.
The completed Census form should be posted back immediately in the envelope that was provided otherwise the matter will be referred to the Census Offices' legal department for consideration of legal proceedings. Criminal prosecution action may be taken against you without warning.
If this address is not someone's usual residence or a form has been left in error, please return it with an explanatory note in the envelope provided.
Census District Manager'
A handwritten note had been added to this form letter saying 'REFUSAL TO ENUMERATOR!' because I was in the house at the time watching television. My excuse would have been that elections were also being run at that time and the Liberal Democrats (who I detest due to their high taxation and spending policies) were canvassing. What right does anyone in a civilized society have to turn up to my property uninvited and unannounced and without an appointment and force me to answer personal questions?
I then received a further letter:
'STANDARD LETTER IF INTERVIEW UNDER CAUTION REFUSED
Dear Householder
You have refused to complete and return a Census form or furnish information as required under the Census Act 1920. You have also refused to be interviewed under caution. An officer appointed under the Census Regulations 2000 will call on:
Date 4th June at 10.30 am
to conduct an interview under caution. Please telephone me at the number shown above if the time and date are inconvenient.
If you continue to refuse to be interviewed you will be reported for possible offences under census legislation and criminal proceedings may be instituted against you without further notice.'
I was working at the time and did not attend the meeting or answer any questions.
Suddenly the paper trial and threats and intimidation and visits at all hours of day and night ended. I apologise to readers but unfortunately I don't have any further information or paperwork from the bureaucrats- I have heard nothing else since and unfortunately no legal action has been taken against me as I write this 18 months later. I would have liked to have added another offence to my criminal record to show that I am implacably opposed to compulsory censuses as I am compulsory jury service. The state intrudes on its citizens in many ways, small and large, from census to jury service to national service. All these things and others are all intolerable in a modern society in which people have the absolute right to privacy and to live their lives as they chose. Trivial legal regulations and sentences for minor offences which turn citizens like myself who are pillars of their community are ridiculous to the point of absurdity. As long as I live, I will never complete a Census form, no matter what the penalties, just as I will never attend jury service.
Author: Simon Buckingham
What do you think?
- To make a comment to the author, send e-mail to simon@unorgan.com
