LCQ4: Population Census

Press Release

LCQ4: Population Census Wednesday, March 14, 2001

Following is a question by the Hon Cyd Ho and a reply by the Secretary for Financial Services, Mr Stephen Ip, in the Legislative Council today (March 14):

Question:

According to the Census and Statistics ("C&S") Department, the Population Census to be started in mid-March has the following objective, "in planning various facilities and services, the Government needs up-to-date population data to understand the present situation and plan for the future". The policy objectives including "annual production of 85 000 flats", "turning Hong Kong into a major cosmopolitan city in Asia" and "adherence to the principle of sustainable development", as highlighted by the Chief Executive in his policy addresses in the past four years, are all closely related to population data. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the criteria the C&S Department has adopted in designing the questionnaires for the Population Census and the parties it has consulted on the contents of the questionnaires; why surveys targeted at such areas as helping the poor and the needy, manpower investment and equality between the sexes have not been included in this Census;

(b) of the rationale for including questions on information relating to respondents' living quarters in the questionnaires; whether it has assessed if the data collected can facilitate achievement of the above long-term policy objectives as set by the Chief Executive in the past several years; if the assessment result is in the affirmative, of the details; if the assessment result concludes otherwise, the reasons for that; and

(c) given that the C&S Department estimated in 1999 that the number of Mainland children born to Hong Kong residents was 1 670 000 and the accuracy of this figure has been questioned, why the Administration does not take this opportunity to collect accurate data in this respect in order to dispel doubts and formulate a policy regarding such children coming to Hong Kong for family reunion?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) In designing the questionnaire for the population census, the following factors have been considered when deciding upon data topics that should be included: i) Uses of the data; ii) International standard; iii) Population Census is a survey of an enormous scale: thus whether the census officer can communicate effectively with the respondent regarding a particular data item will be of utmost importance; iv) Whether the respondents are able and willing to provide the required information; v) Existence of other data sources or data collection methods, in particular the existence of more appropriate channels; and vi) Keeping the total interviewing time within reasonable length.

Two rounds of consultation exercise on the data topics for 2001 Population Census were conducted during 1998 and 1999 respectively. All government bureaux and departments were consulted. Also consulted were academic institutions and scholars and some non-government organizations, including Consumer Council, The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Coalition of Services Industries, Hong Kong Council of Social Service and Hong Kong Productivity Council. The Statistics Advisory Board also discussed various matters relating to the Census, including the data topics.

The census is a comprehensive survey on the characteristics of the entire population, collecting data of a benchmarking nature, including the size of the population, age and sex structure, geographic distribution, economic characteristics and basic household information such as the housing situation. Data obtained can be used for many purposes, depending on the aims and methods of research adopted by the data user concerned. The population census is not the venue for collecting data for conducting studies on topical issues but the data available from the census can indeed be used in various kinds of studies.

(b) Questions on housing characteristics have all along been asked in past population censuses/by-censuses. These include the number of households living in the quarters and the rent paid by households for renting the units they live in. In the 2001 Population Census, two new topics on housing, namely "number of rooms" and "mortgage payment of owner-occupied households" have been added. Both topics are recommended by the United Nations and included in the censuses of other countries/territories like USA, Australia and Canada. While the topic "number of rooms" can throw light on housing quality, the topic "mortgage payment" is parallel to the topic "rent" in reflecting housing costs.

The population census aims to collect a wide variety of detailed characteristics via a comprehensive survey on the entire population. The data, even when analysed by detailed classifications, are still of a high degree of accuracy and reliability. They are useful for formulating appropriate strategies to help achieve the policy objectives of the Chief Executive. For example, the Government is striving to reduce the number of residents living in inadequate housing conditions and to meet their housing needs. The population census can provide comprehensive and detailed information to assist the Government in gaining better understanding of the current living conditions as well as other social and economic characteristics of the people in Hong Kong.

At the same time, information from the population census also enables the Government to have a better grasp of the living conditions of households staying in different types of quarters, including the distribution of their household size, household income, housing cost and the ratio between housing cost and household income. In addition, detailed information on the living conditions and the socio- economic characteristics of the elderly population will also be made available. Such information is useful for the formulation and review of long term housing strategies.

(c) Regarding the estimate of children and grandchildren born to Hong Kong residents and were living in the Mainland of China derived from a survey conducted by the Census and Statistics Department, the methodology and detailed findings are given in the Special Topics Report No.22 published in July 1999. As this relates to a highly sensitive subject, especially with regard to "children born out of registered marriage", a special interviewing method, the "Randomized Response Technique", was adopted when the special topic survey was conducted in 1999. This interviewing technique involves complex interviewing skills and is not suitable for adoption in a large scale survey operation such as the population census.