XN000022-1980-12-08 — Page 4

MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1980

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PILOT CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRES PUT TO THE FIRE

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CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRES CONTAINING PERSONAL DATA ON MEMBERS OF SOME 21 000 HOUSEHOLDS WERE BURNT TO ASHES THIS MORNING AT THE KENNEDY TOWN INCINERATOR UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT STAFF.

THESE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE OBTAINED FROM THE PILOT MARINE CENSUS AND THE PILOT LAND CENSUS CONDUCTED IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH THIS YEAR. THE PILOT CENSUSES WERE CONDUCTED TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE MAIN POPULATION CENSUS TO BE TAKEN IN FEBRUARY - MARCH NEXT YEAR.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT UNDER THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS ORDINANCE, INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION SUPPLIED TO THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE TREATED AS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AND ALL QUESTIONNAIRES CONTAINING PERSONAL PARTICULARS HAD TO BE DESTROYED WITHIN ONE YEAR AFTER THE CENSUS.

HE STRESSED AGAIN THAT WHILE CONDUCTING A CENSUS, STEPS WOULD BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THE STRICTEST SECRECY WAS MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT.

→PERSONAL DATA WILL NEVER BE DISCLOSED TO ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OR PRIVATE ORGANISATION AND ALL CENSUS OFFICERS ARE UNDER AN OATH OF SECRECY NOT TO DISCLOSE SUCH INFORMATION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+THE BURNING OF THESE QUESTIONNAIRES IS TO REASSURE THE PUBLIC AND TO DISPEL ANY ANXIETY THEY MAY HAVE OVER THEIR USE, HE SAID.

AS WITH THOSE IN THE PILOT BE COMPLETED IN THE COMING MAIN 12 MONTHS AFTERWARDS.

CENSUSES, THE QUESTIONNAIRES TO CENSUS WILL BE DESTROYED WITHIN

THE DATA COLLECTED WILL BE PROCESSED BY COMPUTER AND NO PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION SUCH AS NAME AND ADDRESS IS KEPT. RESULTS OF THE CENSUS WILL BE PUBLISHED ONLY IN AGGREGATED FORM, AND NO PERSONAL PARTICULARS ARE DISPLAYED.

IN VIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS 1981 CENSUS, THE SPOKESMAN CALLED ON THE PUBLIC TO GIVE FULL AND ACCURATE ANSWERS TO THE CENSUS OFFICERS AND ASSURED THEM THAT ALL INFORMATION THEY GIVE WILL BE HANDLED IN STRICT CONFIDENCE.

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