User Consultation: Advisory Groups Meetings - June 2002
Summary of issues and topics covered at the round of Census Advisory Group meetings held in June 2002. The groups involved- Business Advisory Group, Health Service Advisory Group, Central and Local Government Information Partnership - Census Sub-group, Academic Advisory Group and the Departmental Working Group, cover the business sector, health authorities, local government, the academic community and central government respectively.
Progress on Processing and One Number Census
ONS reported that the measures introduced to overcome the delays previously reported had largely been successful. Lockheed Martin had delivered the last Estimation Areas more or less to the revised plan (5-6 weeks later than the original plan). However, the fact that deliveries had not been regular across the months of processing but were weighted towards the later months, had put a lot of pressure on the downstream processing timetable. Extra resources, both staff and computing, had been brought in to provide a more rapid flow, but this had used up most of the remaining contingency.
Disclosure Control
A Consultation Paper had been issued on the options for the additional disclosure control measures being considered to protect the confidentiality of the 2001 Census information. Subsequent to the Advisory Group meetings, ONS has decided to adjust small counts only, as set out in Option 2 of the Consultation Paper. This reflected the wish of the majority of users. The main reasons why users generally supported Option 2 were because it affected less cells and ensured that tables would be internally additive. Users felt that the main disadvantage of Option 1 was that all cells would be rounded and that tables would not be internally additive. The benefit that option 1 had in providing greater flexibility of outputs was not considered great enough to offset the disadvantages. ONS announced their decision via the website on 2 July. See Census News for details at www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/cn_22.asp. ONS confirmed that the measures would apply to all output including Origin -Destination statistics.
Output
ONS welcomed any comments about the style of disseminating news electronically.
Neighbourhood Statistics were testing the website delivery of census output, which was expected to come on stream in the second quarter of 2003.
ONS reported that a series of roadshow meetings would take place in the autumn, in conjunction with NeSS to promote developments.
ONS reported that the creation of Output Areas through an automated system was working well. Members were reminded that for the 2001 Census, the geography of output is completely separate from the planning geography. Output Areas were not being Quality Assured by outside bodies during production, but test data would be supplied once the areas had been completed.
ONS reported that over 2,000 responses had been received to the last consultation on standard tables. Census Area Statistics (CAS) specification was now completed and there had been an expansion of workplace and Welsh tables as a result of the requirements expressed in response to the consultation.
ONS reported that it was re-considering comparisons with the 1991 Census. Separate work would be undertaken on this in order to set the change analyses in context.
The academic community expressed concerns on how the plans for the provision of metadata were developing. ONS reported that there had been a number of staff changes within this area but that work on metadata was being reassigned. A wide variety of metadata would be available on the website.
Individual project-based evaluations would be posted on the Census website as and when they were completed and some reviews were already available. It was planned to publish a General Report based on the evaluation reports.
ONS outlined the scope and timetable of the evaluation programme and the aims of the wider strategic review covered in the paper. The paper represented initial thoughts only at this stage and plans would need to be developed. It was hoped that users would want to be involved. A workshop had been considered and Local authorities welcomed this idea.
ONS considered that it was timely to review the future role and membership of the Groups as the end of the decennial census cycle came into view and taking into account the increasing focus on Neighbourhood Statistics as a major source of small area data. Members saw value in continuing the Groups throughout the intercensal period. It was agreed that a wider membership should be encouraged.
All the groups endorsed their support for the continuance and development of the Advisory Groups.
The remit of the Groups may be extended to cover NeSS issues.
ONS was currently developing a new area classification based on the 2001 Census, planned for release in 2003. No final decisions had been made on the level of geography or the variables on which to base the classification. Comments to ONS were invited.
Census News
