Title: Population registers: some administrative and statistical pros and cons.

POPLINE Document Number: 229336

Author(s):

Redfern P

Source citation:

JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY, SERIES A: STATISTICS IN SOCIETY, 1989;152(1):1-41.

Abstract:

The advantages and disadvantages of introducing a central population register are discussed in the context of the United Kingdom. The discussion covers a range of issues, including "justice, fairness, freedom, privacy, efficiency, the fight against crime and fraud, and relations between the government and the community." The author describes the use of population registers in other European countries, the statistical implications of better population registers, the various population records that do exist in the United Kingdom, and the proposal to introduce identity cards in Australia. A summary of a discussion that took place following presentation of the paper at the Royal Statistical Society is included (pp. 28-41). (EXCERPT)

Keywords:

United Kingdom
Europe, Northern
Europe
Population Register
Data Collection
Developed Countries
Europe, Western
Population Statistics
Research Methodology