Posted by Joe on: 11.27.2007 /
What links the whole UK population, an arms manufacturer and the US Patriot Act?
Answer - the 2011 UK census.
The UK Office of National Statistics is the government department charged with collecting and analysing the nation’s statistics. They conduct a complete national census every 10 years of the 56-odd million people who live in the UK.
Hidden in their information about the 2011 census, is this paragraph:
Two suppliers, Lockheed Martin UK and T-Systems International, have been shortlisted and each awarded a contract to provide services for the 2007 Census Test in May. Following this test, further performance evaluation of the two shortlisted suppliers will be carried out, and one supplier will be awarded the contract to design (with the authorities) and deliver the 2009 Census Rehearsal and the 2011 Census.
That is Lockheed Martin UK as in Lockheed Martin one of the biggest arms manufacturers on the planet.
So it appears that in order to collect personal information about our lives, the government has decided to employ an arms company. As you do.
Now, if that is not bad enough, The US Patriot Act apparently states that the US authorities can demand that any US business hand over records to the intelligence authorities. Which means that every British citizen mentioned in the census could potentially have all of their personal data in the hands of the US government, information which is not available in the UK for 50 years. If our government hasn’t already lost it in the mail, that is.
Comment by: Rachel
1What?? Why would they hire an arms manufacturer to do a census? That is bizarre!
Ah, yes. The Information Awareness Office. And they even have a creepy symbol.
Comment by: benjamin ady
2Joe,
and yet if you try to separate your daily life from big arms manufacturers, it’s impossible. Do you drive. Do you fly? Do you turn up your thermostat in your house. Look at all the stuff Honeywall makes.
rachel. probably lockheed manufactures all or a large part of some piece of equipment that is essential to the census taking. and owns the patents. etc.
Comment by: joe
3Yes, B I can see that. On the other hand, look at the Lockheed UK website. Does that look like anything other than an arms manufacturer? At least Honeywell has the sense to have a website that looks like it is a thermostat manufacturer.
Comment by: joe
4hey how about this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ipm/2007/12/making_census.shtml
tipped off by this blog no less..
Comment by: benjamin ady
5hot damn. we’re on BBC. sweet. i guess we can just retire now =)
honestly–joe thanks for pointing this out. You rock man!
Comment by: Rachel
6Wow, that is so cool, Joe! You definitely rock!
Hint to our readers: If you follow the BBC link Joe gave, click on the hyperlinked phrase “suspicions remain about accountability.” Oh yes, it brings you right back here! (she says in a gloating tone)
Comment by: Sian Berry
7You forgot to mention that you can do something about this. Well at least register your concern with the govt (the ONS are taking this quite seriously as the iPM programme interview showed) by signing the petition here: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/census-alert/
Comment by: Rachel
8Thank you so much for that information, Sian!
Comment by: roger
9Last chance to sign the no.10 petition - it closes in just a couple of days:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/census-alert/
Comment by: Rachel
10Thanks for the update, Roger!
Comment by: joe
11Sadly, I have to report that the British government have awarded a $US300 million contract to Lockheed Martin for the 2011 census. On BBC radio today, the head of the UK National Statistics office stated that we should not be concerned about our data because it would be handled by Lockheed Martin subcontractors and no Lockheed Martin staff.
Given that there are severe penalties for refusing to fill in the census, I wonder how many people will decide that refusing to give their data to a global arms company is more important than obeying the law, even if it means going to prison.