PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
ETHNIC GROUP QUESTION IN THE 2011 CENSUS (12 July 2010)

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.

Sponsored by:
Jim Dobbin (Labour)