In your article (Will it be the return of the Jedi?, G2, 10 March), I want to clarify a point on confidentiality. No personal census information has been or will be provided to EU member states or EU institutions – only statistical tables and counts. No approved researchers will be able to see names or addresses or anything that might identify any person. A recently published independent review of census data security says: "The public can be assured that the information they provide to the 2011 census will be well protected and securely managed." The Office of National Statistics takes the security and confidentiality of personal census information extremely seriously.
Glen Watson
Census director, 2011 Census, ONS
• My copy of the 2011 census questionnaire warns if I supply false information I could face a fine. The form also states that "your personal information is protected by law. Census information is kept confidential for 100 years." This is the direct opposite of the truth. The Statistics and Registration Services Act 2007 enables, for the first time, raw data, ie data linked to specific and identifiable individuals, to be shared with, among others, other EU governments, the police, HMRC, the intelligence services and "approved researchers".
The Office of National Statistics keeps spinning the line in the media that they will not "volunteer" personal information, while refusing to acknowledge that under the new legislation it has no legal powers to refuse to share personal data, should it be demanded by the bodies listed in the act.
Nick Wray
Derby
• The census form states that the information gathered will be used to help plan and fund services like transport, education and health. Yet, if someone records that they are employed for as little as one hour a week – even if it is temporary or casual work – or if they are working unpaid in a family business, they are instructed to bypass the question asking if they are a student, looking after home or family, or are long-term disabled. This will seriously overvalue the number of "employed" people and under-record the number of students, older school pupils, home-builders, disabled people and carers; how can such skewed data be used for the accurate planning of education and health services?
Keith Stapylton
Bracknell, Berkshire
• I was surprised that Jon Henley's piece on the census omitted perhaps the most salient point of all – that it is being carried out by Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of weapons of death and destruction worldwide. We can be sure their products (cluster bombs et al) have ensured less people needing to be taken into account in some countries. With many others I will be refusing to make a census return and refer readers to your online coverage (19 February).
Philip Foxe
London
• The cost of the census is estimated at £482m and the US company, Lockheed Martin, is being given £150m to run it. All American companies are subject to the Patriot Act, which allows the government to have access to all data held. This could mean that the US government could hold access to all the detailed, personal data on any of us who complete their forms. This should be of great concern to us all.
Ann Bellingham
Newbridge, Cornwall
• The comprehensive character of the census questionnaire suffers from what seems the basic error of having no category for widowers in question 4. This question covers the status of the individual. The advice so far is to leave it blank for widowers – who therefore have no status.
Eric Jones
Cricklade, Wiltshire
• Is now the right time for all those who object to the census to stand up and be counted?
Philip Heselton
Hull