This is a new service. Your feedback will help us to improve it.

2011 census: Legislation

Scotland’s Census 2011 was underpinned by law.

The Registrar General for Scotland takes a census in Scotland under the Census Act 1920. The Act allows for a census to be taken not less than 5 years after the previous census.

Every census requires further legislation which details how it is to be run. This is the Census Order and Census Regulations.

Census (Scotland) Order 2010

The Census (Scotland) Order 2010 directed:

  • the date of the 2011 census
  • who must make a census return
  • the topics asked about in the census

It was approved by the Scottish Parliament in May 2010.

Census (Scotland) Regulations 2010

The Census Regulations set out the arrangements for how Scotland's Census 2011 was to be conducted, including the detail of the questions to be asked.

The Census Regulations were approved by the Scottish Parliament in May 2010.

Final question set

See the final question set used for the 2011 census.