Census provider for 2011

[witchieblackcat]

Lockheed Martin has been short-listed and might be selected to run the next UK census.
(Adapted from http://censusalert.org.uk/)

The next UK Census (in 2011), in which participation is compulsory, might be run by an arms company with close links to the United States government, and which also focuses on intelligence and surveillance work. See below for more info.

The decision is now imminent. Sign the petition today: (Deadline to sign up by: 15 June 2008)

Petition on the Downing Street website - http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/census-alert/

What's the problem?

The process of running the 2011 Census will be contracted out by the Office of National Statistics to a private company.

One of the two contractors in the final round of selection is the arms company Lockheed Martin, 80% of whose business is with the US Department of Defence and other Federal Government agencies.

This might concern you because: The Census rules mean that every household will be legally obliged to provide a wide range of personal information that will be handled by the chosen contractor.

Lockheed Martin produces missiles and land mines which are being used in Afghanistan and Iraq and which are illegal in many countries.

They also focus on intelligence and surveillance work and boast of their ability to provide `integrated threat information´ that combines information from many different sources.

New questions in the 2011 Census will include information about income and place of birth, as well as existing questions about languages spoken in the household and many other personal details.

This information would be very useful to Lockheed Martin´s intelligence work, and fears that the data might not be safe could lead to many people not filling in their Census forms.

Census Alert is therefore campaigning to stop Lockheed Martin from being given the contract.

The campaign is supported by the Green Party, politicians from Plaid Cymru, Labour and the Scottish National Party, and others opposed to the arms trade and concerned about personal privacy.

We are not opposed to the Census itself. Aggregated, the information collected is important in allocating resources to local authorities and public services.

But personal privacy is important too, and we are concerned that Lockheed Martin's involvement could undermine public confidence in the process and lead to inaccurate data being collected.

What can I do?

There is still time to stop this happening and we are not calling for a boycott of the Census at this stage.

Before the final decisions on the contract are made, we are asking you to do the following:

Sign the petition opposing arms company involvement in the Census. Contact your MP and ask them to raise the issue in Parliament. Contact your local Councillor and ask them to highlight their concerns about the allocation of local authority resources.

[Foggy]

Ah, but do they promise to leave all the info on a train?

[Captain Deco]

I don't really see how the number of languages I can speak is useful to the government - a bit like at my work where we get sent ethnic/sexuality monitoring forms quite often.

As it's not relevant and intrusive I lie on them. A bit like I am intending to do when the census forms come round. They can force me to participate, but apart from the things they know about me already, there will be a swathe of untruths going back. Lockheed Martin can shove it up their arse.

[Steve Summers]

''A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti''

Safe diving,
Steve

[Paul Oliver]

We get this stupid ethnicities (spelling????) forms with just about any application at work, if i am bored i fill in a load of rubbish, if i am busy it goes in the bin, i don't think i have ever ticked the correct box on any of them

[Colin Marriott]

Originally Posted by witchieblackcat

Lockheed Martin has been short-listed and might be selected to run the next UK census.
(Adapted from http://censusalert.org.uk/)

The next UK Census (in 2011), in which participation is compulsory, might be run by an arms company with close links to the United States government, and which also focuses on intelligence and surveillance work. See below for more info.

The decision is now imminent. Sign the petition today: (Deadline to sign up by: 15 June 2008)

Petition on the Downing Street website - http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/census-alert/

What's the problem?

The process of running the 2011 Census will be contracted out by the Office of National Statistics to a private company.

One of the two contractors in the final round of selection is the arms company Lockheed Martin, 80% of whose business is with the US Department of Defence and other Federal Government agencies.

This might concern you because: The Census rules mean that every household will be legally obliged to provide a wide range of personal information that will be handled by the chosen contractor.

Lockheed Martin produces missiles and land mines which are being used in Afghanistan and Iraq and which are illegal in many countries.

They also focus on intelligence and surveillance work and boast of their ability to provide `integrated threat information´ that combines information from many different sources.

New questions in the 2011 Census will include information about income and place of birth, as well as existing questions about languages spoken in the household and many other personal details.

This information would be very useful to Lockheed Martin´s intelligence work, and fears that the data might not be safe could lead to many people not filling in their Census forms.

Census Alert is therefore campaigning to stop Lockheed Martin from being given the contract.

The campaign is supported by the Green Party, politicians from Plaid Cymru, Labour and the Scottish National Party, and others opposed to the arms trade and concerned about personal privacy.

We are not opposed to the Census itself. Aggregated, the information collected is important in allocating resources to local authorities and public services.

But personal privacy is important too, and we are concerned that Lockheed Martin's involvement could undermine public confidence in the process and lead to inaccurate data being collected.

What can I do?

There is still time to stop this happening and we are not calling for a boycott of the Census at this stage.

Before the final decisions on the contract are made, we are asking you to do the following:

Sign the petition opposing arms company involvement in the Census. Contact your MP and ask them to raise the issue in Parliament. Contact your local Councillor and ask them to highlight their concerns about the allocation of local authority resources.

So, lets see . . .

The among the organizations on the short-list for this are: -
Lockheed Martin

Al Qaeda

Hamas

Asian Dawn ( Asian Dawn???) "I read about them in Forbes"

And you think we should protest if Lockheed Martin win the contract?

ColinM

[Capt. Stable]

Originally Posted by Colin Marriott

So, lets see . . .

The among the organizations on the short-list for this are: -
Lockheed Martin

Al Qaeda

Hamas

Asian Dawn ( Asian Dawn???) "I read about them in Forbes"

And you think we should protest if Lockheed Martin win the contract?

ColinM

The Al Qaeda stats department are actually very good. Their forms are streamlined and well disciplined.
Ok, some of the questions are a little ambiguous 'Can you confirm you are truly pure?' for example, but it's less hassle over all.

They get my vote.

[Colin Marriott]

Originally Posted by Capt. Stable

The Al Qaeda stats department are actually very good. Their forms are streamlined and well disciplined.
Ok, some of the questions are a little ambiguous 'Can you confirm you are truly pure?' for example, but it's less hassle over all.

They get my vote.

Well, rumour has it that Al Qaeda are having problems, especially in the Suicide department (it appears to have a high staff turnover), so it's unlikely to be awarded to them.


ColinM

[SoggyFox]

I'm a Jedi, so its easy for me to get the census takers to pass on by......

"these aren't the houses your looking for...."

[Capt. Stable]

Originally Posted by Colin Marriott

Well, rumour has it that Al Qaeda are having problems, especially in the Suicide department (it appears to have a high staff turnover), so it's unlikely to be awarded to them.


ColinM

Sounds like you and I are destined for hell...where do we fill that out on the form?