THE Government will be well and truly overstepping the mark if it goes ahead with plans to include a compulsory question about sexual preference in the 2011 Census. This proposal is the latest nonsense to be announced by Ministers in Harriet Harman s equa

THE Government will be well and truly overstepping the mark if it goes ahead with plans to include a compulsory question about sexual preference in the 2011 Census.

This proposal is the latest nonsense to be announced by Ministers in Harriet Harman's equality department. Anyone refusing to answer could be liable for a fine of �1,000.

People's sexuality is none of the Government's business. It is an unnecessarily intrusive question and I find it deeply disconcerting that the political class wants to keep tabs on our sexual orientation. What purpose will it serve to know this intimate information? How will the information be stored and used?

In the world today it is thought at least 51 million of the babies born every year do not even have their birth registered.

Having no birth certificate means they are deprived of education, healthcare and welfare support. It also leaves them vulnerable to exploitation, through prostitution and human trafficking for instance.

Children's development organisation, Plan International, is campaigning to change this and has so far helped register the births of some 40 million people in 32 countries over the past five years.

This week experts from around the world have gathered in London to discuss the campaign, called Universal Birth Registration, and consider ways to continue the work.

Plan International has made it clear it cannot continue the campaign effectively without the resources, technology and practices of Governments, among other bodies.

Why can't our Government do something useful and occupy itself with helping to register the millions of invisible children in the world, instead of insisting on asking UK people ridiculous questions which bear no relevance to anything?