2001 Census Sample of Anonymised Records (SARs) User Group Meeting, 15 July 2005

Exploring Census Microdata: 2001 SARs User Group Meeting

15 July 2005, Royal Statistical Society , London

This meeting was jointly hosted by the Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research (CCSR) and the Office for National Statistics. It provided a general introduction and update to the Samples of Anonymised Records (SARs) files, an explanation of CCSR's role in supporting the use of SARs and details of how to gain access to the in-house SARs, known as the Controlled Access Microdata (CAMS) files.

It was also an opportunity for CAMS users to present their research and five presentations were given on the findings on a range of topics, including: employment differences by ethnicity, differences in 'head of household' by ethnicity and local authority, analysis of local labour markets, and determinants of internal migration. The presentations can be found on the CCSR website.

Throughout the event a lot of positive feedback was received. In particular it was noted how useful the CAMS files were to research and the role these data have played in contributing to the development of both academic knowledge and government policy. The day concluded with a panel discussion where a number of useful points were raised. These will be taken forward in discussions on the development of 2011 Census microdata.