The SNP’s cabinet minister in charge of the Scottish census will be out of the country when the exercise closes today, as opponents warn that it has become a “fiasco”.
Constitutional Secretary Angus Robertson will meet with EU politicians in Brussels today and tomorrow when the extended May 31 deadline for the £ 150m poll ends.
His absence means he cannot be questioned at Holyrood about the situation this week.
Parliament will not meet on Thursday due to the Jubilee party.
National Records of Scotland said last night that almost one in seven households had not filled out a form, meaning a possible £ 1,000 fine.
NRS said the national return rate was 86.6%, with a rate below 85% to six local authorities, including Glasgow. It means about 400,000 households have not yet responded.
The target is 94.2% overall and at least 85% in all 32 municipalities.
Opposition parties blamed the Scottish government’s decision to delay the household survey by a decade due to the pandemic, while England and Wales went ahead as planned in 2021. achieve a response rate of 97%.
The Scottish census was due to end on 1 May, but Robertson delayed it a month after a terrible response rate at a cost of £ 10 million.
Nicola Sturgeon has said that external experts will check the census to make sure it was a “credible exercise”.
Scottish Conservatives demanded that all future censuses be conducted in a synchronized manner across the UK to maximize public awareness and acceptance.
MSP Donald Cameron MSP said: “The SNP’s management of the Scottish census has been blatant from the start. They put nationalist ideology above what is best for Scotland.
“By rejecting the opportunity to be part of a successful promotion campaign across the UK, the SNP seriously damaged the census response rate.
“So far, the survey has cost the taxpayer £ 150 million and there is no guarantee that the Scottish government will get enough answers today to make the data usable.
“It is essential that these SNP mistakes are not repeated. Scottish Conservatives are calling on the SNP and all other political parties in Scotland to agree with our promise to ensure that any future census is fully aligned with the rest of the UK.” .
Scottish Labor warned of a “decade of injustice” stemming from the census, as return rates were lower in disadvantaged areas, affecting future public service delivery.
MSP Sarah Boyack said: “This mess will take years to clean up. These are not just numbers on a spreadsheet – it’s about funding and services for our communities.
“Without action, this will lead to a decade of injustice in Scotland, as the most disadvantaged communities are paying the price for the SNP’s failure.
“The SNP needs to establish how it will ensure that this wrong census does not leave the poorest areas in the short term.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie added: “There needs to be some research into the Scottish government on how this was allowed to go so wrong.
“From the decision to separate the census from its counterpart elsewhere in the UK to the complexities of filling out the online survey, the Scottish government has not been covered in glory.
“This is important because the census helps to inform how public services are provided over the next decade. The minister has to decide what kind of review of the census process will be done and how the government will fill in the gaps. ”
NRS CEO Paul Lowe urged latecomers to complete their forms online or on paper.
He said: “Do not regret not participating. The big decisions about our local communities and our nation as a whole are based on census data. Everyone’s circumstances need to be captured to make sure the best decisions are made, so please complete it now. ”
The NRS said delayed responses for “legitimate reasons” will still count if they return in the days immediately following May 31.
However, starting tomorrow, the NRS will move on to the next phase of the fiscal year, known as the census coverage survey, which should ensure that “a complete and accurate picture of the nationwide response rates “.