Register- based Census 2011 in Slovenia

1. Register-based Census 2011 in Slovenia Danilo Dolenc Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia Fourth meeting of theTechnical Coordination Group for the Population Censuses in South East Europe Ljubljana, 28 January 2011

2. Overview • Short history (transition from traditional to register-based approach) • Developments since 2002 Census • General pre-conditions • Main characteristics of the 2011 Register-based Census in Slovenia

3. Establishment of registers • Four basic registers established and maintained by the Statistical Office • Central Population Register – 1986 • Kept by the Ministry of the Interior from 1998 • Territorial Register – middle 80’s • Kept by the Surveying and Mapping Authority from 1995 • Business Register - 1976 • Kept by the Agency for Public Legal Records and Related Services from 2002 • Statistical Register on Employment – 1986 • The only one still maintained by the SORS

4. 1971 Census - the beginning • First attempt to establish Central Population Register (CPR) • The Law adopted in 1970 • No unique identifier • Special number printed in the census questionnaire and delivered to the population • Too many mistakes • No transfer to the administrative evidences • Not successful – but important for further development

5. 1981 Census - the early phase • Law on Unique identifier (PIN) adopted in January 1980 • DD-MM-LLL-50-S-NN-C • Introduction of PIN to the administrative registers (Register of Permanent Population) • For the first time data from register used in field enumeration • List of population by enumeration areas • PIN data also collected – 80 % coverage

6. 1991 Census – broader use • Pre-printed questionnaires • From CPR • PIN, name, address, • From Territorial Register • Identifications • Data taken in the statistical process • From Employment Register • Education, occupation, industry • The last traditional enumeration and processing (manual editing) • Census database with PIN – almost 99 %

7. 2002 Census – the last step • Combined method • Register based (data on persons only) • About 10 administrative and statistical sources (data from regular surveys) have been used • Pre-printed questionnaires • 10 topics entirely taken from registers (not included in field enumeration) • Complete field enumeration - dwellings, households, persons (partly) • Innovative data processing • Outsourcing and paperless editing

8. 2002 Census – Dwellings Register • Census Law foreseen the establishment of Dwelling Register by the Statistical Office • Questionnaires has already been printed • Register questions marked (letter R) • Constitutional Court adopted an important decision with far-reaching consequences • Statistical data can not be used for the administrative purposes

9. Development since 2002 (1) • Dwellings - new register - Real Estate Register (RER) • Established in 2007 by the Surveying and Mapping Authority • On the basis of the special field census • More than one year • Important for the 2011 Census • Dwelling data • Introducing dwelling number – the missing link • Also exist physically under main dwelling entrance

10. Development since 2002 (2) • Households - informatization of already existed paper files – Household Register • Completed in 2006 by the Ministry of the Interior • Very unique data source • Administrative households • Relation to the reference person of the household available • Family data not directly available

11. Development since 2002 (3) • Persons – updating of the CPR data • Adding dwelling number to the address if living in the multi-dwelling buildings • Linking persons, households and dwellings

12. Quality improvement (1) • Missing dwelling number in CPR • Problems in transfer of data from Real Estate Census (field collection) to the CPR • Two methods of updating in 2010 • Automatic linkage (ownership, combining household and dwelling number) • Mailing by the Ministry of the Interior • 50 thousands households (20 % of living in the multi-dwelling buildings) • The response rate 70 %

13. Quality improvement (2) • Inconsistency in Household Register • Relation to the reference person, marital status, age • The source was for the first time evaluated by the Statistical Office in the 2008 • Relatively small number of errors • Corrections at the administrative body • Introduction of consistency checks at the stage of entering data • Systematic checking of existing errors • Very positive feedback by the keeper

14. Quality improvement (3) • Faultiness of the Real Estate Register • The weakest source in the census process • Unreliable data on some housing topics • Missing buildings and/or missing numbering of dwellings • Not updated ownership • Mass real estate valuation according to the special Act by Mapping Authority • Main objective – taxation of real estate • Possibility to correct data in RER directly by the owner of the individual real estate (dwelling) • Web application exists • The action had to be ended by the January 2011

15. General prerequisites • National legislation • Right to linkage data – Law on National Statistics • Unique identifications • PIN, Dwelling and household number, Business Register ID • Establishment of appropriate sources • 2 new missing administrative registers • Corresponding topics to cover • EU Regulation • User’s needs

16. 2011 Census - general facts • Organization • Very small project team, own resources only • 6 employees, no permanent census staff • No Census Law • Budget • By now 40,000 EUR (direct costs) • Staff costs covered by regular budget • Savings at least 12 mio EUR • Reference date • 1 January 2011

17. 2011 Census – methodology (1) • Population definition – the same as in the regular (quarterly) demography statistics • Harmonized with EU Regulation on migration statistics • Population of Slovenia consists of persons (regardless of citizenship) with registered residence in Slovenia who live or intend to live in Slovenia for one year or more and are not temporarily absent from Slovenia for a year or more • No more double counts • In 2002 difference 30 thousand (1.5%)

18. 2011 Census – methodology (2) • New household definition based on • Usual residence of member • Same dwelling • Same household number • A group of persons (or person living alone) living in the same dwelling with the same household number • Housekeeping concept • More than one household per housing unit • Household number is the key identifier • Very unique in register-based censuses • Families – no changes • Data derived from relation to the reference person

19. 2011 Census – topics • All obligatory topics according to the EU Regulation • Some new topics (available for the first time from the census) • Generational composition of household • Immigrant background • Second generation of immigrants • No more data on ethnicity / religion • No adequate administrative source

20. Census 2011 - sources of data

21. 2011 Census – topics and sources • Population characteristics – CPR (1) • Households and families – HR (1) • Dwellings – RER (1) • Migration topics – 2 statistical surveys + 2002 Census (3) • Education – 11 sources • Economic characteristics – 9 sources

22. 2011 Census – processing • Data integration • Oracle • Data editing • Oracle and SAS • Statistical process • Unified, automated and controlled process • Almost no subjective influence on data • Generating households and families the most complex process

23. 2011 Census – evaluation • No Post Enumeration Survey • The main methods for quality analysis • Comparison of the census results with other statistical surveys • Comparison of input (administrative) and output (statistical) data • All quality measures foreseen in implementing regulation applied in the statistical process • Challenges – over-registration • How to estimate • How to decrease

24. 2011 Census – dissemination • Step by step dissemination following availability of sources • All data will be final • First release – 29 April 2011 – Population • Household and family data – by September 2011 • All other topics by the end of 2011 • Visualization • Interactive Statistical Atlas • New - national hierarchical grid system

25. 2011 Census – promotion • Mostly information for general public • The special 2011 Register-based Census website released on 5 November 2010 http://www.stat.si/popis2011/eng • Leaflet • Logo, but no slogan • Dissemination stage • Main stress on methodological explanations and (non)comparison with previous censuses

26. Census – the future • Frequency • Every year – demographic, economic and educational characteristics • Quarterly basic demographic ‘‘mini census’’ • Every 3 or 4 years - complete register based census • Incorporation into the programme of regular statistical surveys

27. Concluding remarks • Register-based census is not simple push on button • Long-lasting development behind • Quality of administrative data is the most important factor for the quality of statistical data • Close cooperation with keepers • Feedback implemented in administrative source

28. Finally • The first register-based census is discontinuity with previous ones in terms of • Organization • Methodology • Topics (availability of data) • Timeliness and frequency • Dissemination strategy • Public campaign • … • And above all – no more field work!!!