More than 400 people will be employed to help Government carry out the 2010 census, Premier Ewart Brown revealed yesterday.

Dr. Brown said this year's census will ask residents more questions than ever before in an attempt to build a comprehensive database on housing, public health and a stream of other issues.

Residents will have to answer 110 questions on subjects also including their job, religion, ethnicity, education background and salaries, the Premier told the House of Assembly.

The last census had 75 questions, with Dr. Brown saying: "We have increased the number of questions simply because we are trying to increase the amount of information that we get."

MPs passed legislation establishing Thursday, May 20, as census day, with questions being asked from May 21 to September 30.

Research such as the Mincy Report into young black males has had to rely on data from the 2000 census, leading to suggestions from the United Bermuda Party that the Island needs more regular surveys.

Dr. Brown replied that censuses will now take place every five years.

UBP MP Grant Gibbons said the census should attempt to find out more about internal migration, to help compile an accurate parliamentary register database.

Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards, who serves on the Boundaries Commission which has been reviewing constituency borders, explained: "The issue of information as to where people are in Bermuda is clearly a concern to a Boundaries Commission: who they are and where they are.

"We were having to rely on data that was almost ten years old."

Mr. Richards also suggested the census should ask people whether they are registered to vote.

Progressive Labour Party backbencher Terry Lister spoke of the importance of the census and called for people to step forward to help carry it out, for which they will be paid.

Mr. Lister said the survey would help evaluate how many talented young people are leaving the Island, so that programmes can be developed to encourage them to stay.

Referring to a "brain drain", he said: "We really shouldn't be in that position with the types of jobs this country has had in the last 20 years. A brain drain shouldn't exist."

Finance Minister Paula Cox paid tribute to the work done by Government's Statistics Department, adding: "Knowledge is power."

Independent MP Wayne Furbert suggested adding questions probing how many young people want to go overseas for higher education but can't afford.