Census and Statistics Department - 2001 Population Census Questionnaires Destroyed

Tuesday, March 5, 2002

All questionnaires containing data on individual persons, households and quarters collected in the 2001 Population Census were destroyed during the period from 21 February to 5 March 2002 under the close supervision of staff of the Census and Statistics Department.

The Population Census was conducted in mid-March 2001.

A spokesman for the Department explained that as stipulated by law, all data on individual persons, households and quarters obtained from the 2001 Population Census had to be treated in strict confidence and all questionnaires containing such information had to be destroyed within one year after the Census operation (i.e. not later than 14 March 2002).

He stressed that at all stages of the Census operation, steps had been taken to ensure that the confidentiality of such data was strictly maintained. "Any identification of enumerated individual persons or households from the questionnaires were not entered into the computer," he added.

"Questionnaires completed in the Census were destroyed in order to dispel any possible anxiety which the public might have over the use of data on individual persons or households for non-statistical purposes," he said.