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8 Feb 2010 : Column 795W—continued
Census: ICT
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the limit is on the number of users who will be able to use the Census online system at any one time. [315274]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 4 February 2010:
As Director General I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the limit is on the number of users who will be able to use the Census online system at any one time. (315274)
The Office for National Statistics estimates that up to 25 per cent. of people will use the online option. We expect many of these to complete an online questionnaire before or after census day itself and expect the peak of usage to be during the evening of 27 March 2011. We are still reviewing, with our contractors, the best way of supporting the maximum number of concurrent users possible; therefore the actual maximum number of users that could use the system at one time is not yet finalised. However, should there be more users wanting to use the online system at any one time than it is capable of accommodating, those people already in the system will be able to carry on as normal, and additional users will be asked to try again later.
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what checks were carried out by the Office for National Statistics on the accuracy of the optical data capture exercise in the 2001 Census. [315337]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 4 February 2010:
As Director General I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what checks were carried out by the Office for National Statistics on the accuracy of the optical data capture exercise in the 2001 Census. (315337)
The 2001 Census scanning system used Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to lift information from 2001 Census questionnaires. An automated coding system was used for responses that required translation from a textual response into a numerical code. Responses not able to be coded automatically were coded manually. An automatic quality assurance system was incorporated within the data capture and coding subsystems, and these checks assessed whether quality standards were being met. Quality standards were measured continuously throughout data processing. The overall results for each of these standards were:
| Percentage | ||
| Item | Accuracy standard | Accuracy achieved |
| Key: OMR-Optical Mark Recognition OCR-Optical Character Recognition Notes: 1. The coding results above relate only to textual responses. 2. Where the answer could have been a tick box, these are included in the OMR results. | ||
Full information on accuracy and data quality are available in the published Census 2001 Quality Report for England and Wales ISBN 1-4039-8769-6 and laid before Parliament in 2005 and which is also available on the website through this link:
Census: Lost Property
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate has been made of the proportion and number of completed Census questionnaires that were lost by Royal Mail in the 2001 Census. [315256]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 4 February 2010:
As Director General I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what estimate has been made of the proportion and number of completed census questionnaires that were lost by Royal Mail in the 2001 Census. (315256)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is not aware of Royal Mail having lost any questionnaires in 2001 and was satisfied with the strict security measures maintained by Royal Mail in their handling of census questionnaires.
ONS acknowledges that there were some sporadic instances of questionnaires being delivered to the processing site later than originally intended, due to, for example, backlogs in Royal Mail's delivery process.
The post back of questionnaires using Royal Mail in 2001 worked effectively overall, which led to the decision for the 2011 Census to both post questionnaires out and allow respondents to post them back, using Royal Mail.
For the 2011 Census a new Questionnaire Tracking System has been developed which will track questionnaires throughout the census using barcodes and scanning equipment.
Census: Security
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps are being taken to prevent phishing attacks related to the 2011 Census. [315267]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 4 February 2010:
As Director General I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what steps are being taken to prevent phishing attacks related to the 2011 Census. (315267)
The primary mechanism for phishing attacks is email and the 2011 Census will not be sending any unsolicited emails to the public or emails asking the public to supply any personal details, click on links to any websites (including the official census website) or to verify any login credentials. This message will be clearly displayed on the census website. The census website will also provide advice and guidance to the public on the threat of phishing attacks, how to reduce the risk of phishing attacks and the steps to take in the event of a suspected phishing attack.
The official census website address is memorable and will be clearly printed on the census forms. As a precaution, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will also be defensively registering a range of similar website addresses and will be monitoring for rogue websites to reduce the risk from imitation census websites appearing in popular search engines.
Census: Travelling People
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what means will be used to collect 2011 Census forms from (a) Travellers and (b) people in travelling fairs. [315263]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 4 February 2010:
As Director General I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what means will be used to collect 2011 Census forms from (a) travellers and (b) people in travelling fairs.(315263)
We are making special preparations to enumerate Gypsies, Travellers and people in travelling fairs and in developing the plans we are working closely with local authority Gypsy and Traveller Liaison Officers, as well as with Gypsy and Traveller community groups.
Travellers, Gypsies and people in travelling fairs will be counted by special enumerators who are trained to liaise successfully with these groups. Advance information about traveller sites will be gathered including any requirements for help with literacy or sight or hearing impairment issues. Authorised sites will be visited as pre-arranged with the site manager to hand deliver questionnaires. Transit sites and any temporary roving caravans, travelling fairs and circuses will also be visited to complete both delivery and collection of questionnaires.
Following face-to-face meetings with a number of Roma and Romani community leaders and support organisations, plus direct meetings with representations of Travellers and Gypsy communities, we are planning to recruit directly from those communities to help overcome issues of literacy, language and concerns about confidentiality. The community leaders themselves have also offered to support our Census awareness campaign. We are continuing through the community liaison programme to improve contact with Gypsy and Traveller groups.
The proposed 2011 Census ethnic group question includes for the first time a specific category for 'Gypsy or Irish Traveller'. A write-in option is also available for those Travellers who may wish to identify themselves in any other way.
Chief Information Officer: Government Communications
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the Communications Manager in the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and Senior Information Risk Owner will be a member of the Government Communications Network. [315325]
Angela E. Smith: The post of Communications Manager within the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and Senior Information Risk Owner was recently advertised and an offer of employment made. The new incumbent is not yet in post.
When in post, the Communications Manager will be able to register with the Government Communication Network (GCN). GCN is a virtual, online network and resource open to all civil servants who have an interest in government communications.
Death: Cancer
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many deaths from (a) breast cancer and (b) heart disease were caused by alcohol in the last year for which figures are available; [316280]
(2) how many deaths from cancer of the (a) mouth, (b) oesophagus and (c) larynx were caused by alcohol in the last year for which figures are available; [316293]
(3) how many deaths from breast cancer were caused by alcohol in the last year for which figures are available. [316348]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 5 February 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
1) How many deaths from (a) breast cancer and (b) heart disease were caused by alcohol in the last year for which figures are available. (316280)
2) How many deaths from cancer of the (a) mouth, (b) oesophagus and (c) larynx were caused by alcohol in the last year for which figures are available. (316293)
3) How many deaths from breast cancer were caused by alcohol in the last year for which figures are available. (316348)
It is not possible to provide figures for the number of deaths where (a) breast cancer, (b) heart disease, (c) cancer of the mouth, (d) cancer of the oesophagus or (e) cancer of the larynx was the underlying cause of death, and which were caused by alcohol, from the information collected at death registration.
Internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation requires only those conditions that contributed directly to the death to be recorded on the death certificate. Medical practitioners and coroners are not required to record all of the diseases or conditions present at or before death, and whether a condition contributed is a matter for their clinical judgement. Lifestyle and behavioural factors, such as the deceased's alcohol consumption, are not recorded.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many deaths from cancer of the (a) mouth, (b) oesophagus and (c) larynx there were in the last year for which figures are available; [316292]
(2) many deaths from breast cancer there were in the last year for which figures are available. [316294]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 5 February 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
(1) How many deaths from cancer of the (a) mouth, (b) oesophagus and (c) larynx there were in the last year for which figures are available. (316292)
(2) How many deaths from breast cancer there were in the last year for which figures are available. (316294)
The table attached provides the number of deaths where cancer of the (a) mouth, (b) oesophagus, (c) larynx, and (d) breast was the underlying cause of death, in England and Wales, in 2008 (the latest year available).
| Table 1. Number of deaths where cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, larynx and breast was the underlying cause of death, England and Wales, 2008( 1, )( 2)( , )( 3) | |
| Cause of death | Number |
| 1 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C03-C06 (cancer of the mouth), C15 (cancer of the oesophagus), C32 (cancer of the larynx) and C50 (breast cancer). 2 Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. 3 Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. | |
Death: Liver Diseases
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths from (a) liver cancer and (b) other liver disease there have been in (i) England and (ii) each parliamentary constituency in each year since 1997. [315907]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 4 February 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking in how many deaths from (a) liver cancer and (b) other liver disease there have been in (i) England and (ii) each constituency in each year since 1997. (315907)
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