A question on religion was proposed in the White Paper in March 1999 subject to a change to the Census Act, which did not then provide the authority for such a question to be included in a census in Great Britain. A Bill providing for such particular to be included in a census gained Royal Assent on 28 July 2000. Similar legislation in Scotland received Royal Assent on 10 April 2000.
The Census (Amendment) Act 2000
Amendment to the Census Act to grant the authority for the 2001 Census to include a question on religion.