Improving information for Regional Development Agencies' strategies and policies: using microdata from the United Kingdom's 2001 Census of Population

The author is concerned with improving the quality of information available to the English Regional Development Agencies in the development and review of their strategies and policies. Proposals are discussed and evaluated concerning the use of microdata and user-defined customised output from the 2001 Census of Population for the United Kingdom. The discussion is set within the framework of the guidelines and advice specified within the Regional Strategies and Supplementary Guidance publications of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Assessment of the potential value of 2001 census microdata and customised output in the policy process is substantiated, as far as possible, with the aid of a case study based on the Samples of Anonymised Records from the 1991 Population Census.