2011 Census

"How many bedrooms in your home? What kind of heater do you use? Who's staying over at your apartment tonight?

The British government wants to know all that and more, according to proposed questions for the 2011 national census. For the first time, the questionnaire will include personal questions such as the name, age and sex of visitors staying at Britons' homes on census night. It will also collect more detailed data about Britain's immigrants and ethnic minorities, including what passports and visas they hold and whether they're proficient in English."

Is the census trying to overmit its remit and assist in immigration control? Is it an attempt to crack down on benefit fraud (claiming to be single when cohabiting is the most common type of fraud)?

Is it right?

In any case, will it work? Probably not; if someone is going to lie to get more tax credits or claim the single person's council tax discount, surely they have the nouse to lie on the census. I can't see them sending the census police around to check!