Census is missing the personal touch

Sir, – I enjoyed Morag Lindsay’s balanced account of the problems with census form returns in Scotland (Courier, April 30), but I think she could have emphasised the importance of the personal touch.

The enumerators were usually council officials or dedicated, trained volunteers who had one objective. It was to make sure your form was delivered, explained if necessary and then collected.

Complaints were always made about civil liberties and intrusion into personal matters. The system seemed to work, though, in

terms of getting a high return.

The information was provided for the government to plan for schools, roads, hospitals, further and higher education, and population balance.

What has gone wrong north of the border this time? The simple answer is complacency. Public information about the importance of the venture was sparse to say the least.

The enumerators have given way to the primacy of online returns, which has become common place for many.

Perhaps, too, more consideration should have been given to the number and type of questions asked.

Whatever the explanation

the relatively low return is making Scotland a laughing stock.

Views will differ about the country’s constitutional future. Whatever it is, we are still going to need all the facilities mentioned above and more.

The practical way to ensure that is for public

servants to have at their disposal the most up-todate information on what we have and where we are going. The Scottish Government must act in the coming weeks to make sure that happens.

The Palace of Westminster in London is crumbling.