ETHNIC GROUP QUESTION IN THE 2011 CENSUS

That this House has regard to the historic and enduring value of information gathered by the decennial National Census; believes the ethnic group question, first introduced in 1991, represented a milestone in understanding and embracing the diversity of the United Kingdom; notes the primary purpose of the ethnic group question is to enable organisations to monitor equal opportunities and anti-discrimination policies and to allocate government resources more effectively; further notes that the development of the ethnic group question for the 2011 Census is interlinked with that of the newly introduced national identity question; further notes that in extensive consultation with key users of Census data 92 per cent. of respondents expressed support for requirement for information on population ethnicity; and consequently urges the Government to maintain a considered framework for Census questions that form an important part of a balanced policy of improving race relations and to resist calls to drop questions regarding ethnic and national identity.