All householders across Bermuda will be required for the first time to tell Government their income in next year's census.

Government Sen. Patrice Parris said all information was confidential and census-takers would be required to swear an oath before a justice of the peace guaranteeing that individual details would not be disclosed.

She told the Senate yesterday that the information was vital in providing Government with the most complete picture of the state of Bermuda.

During the last census in 1991, only a sample of the population was asked to supply their income. At the census in May next year, every person will be asked.

Government Sen. Calvin Smith , a former Chief Statistician, told The Royal Gazette after the meeting: "It is a magnificent step forward because most Government social policy is based on the earnings of households.

"It gives Government a basis for determining some very, very important aspects of gross national product. (At present) Government does some serious guessing about incomes and GNP.'' He said it would allow Government to tie in occupation with income to give, for example, an idea of how much workers in tourism were earning.

A nominated person will be the reference point for the census, but normal practice is to ask every person in the household questions. Failure to answer the census or provide false information is an offence.

Sen. Parris told the Senate yesterday that the Statistics Department had carried out a pre-testing earlier this year when it asked respondents about income, and although the subject was thought to be sensitive, the response was favourable.

She said: "This will go a long way to give us the most accurate information that we can get. The Statistics Department is comfortable asking questions also about income.

"It can be seen to be sensitive, but they conducted a census pre-test this year and the questions asked about income, and it was not deemed to be as sensitive (as it seemed to be) so this will form part of a question in the 2000 census.'' The question about income is one of 12 new questions asked in next year's census.

In a bid to find out how far the work ethic is part of teen culture, the census will also ask parents how much money their children earn from part-time jobs.

Sen. Parris said many schoolchildren earned money packing groceries.

"We want to get a feel for the work ethics of our young people,'' she said.

Among the other new areas the census will look at are child care arrangements, training courses, health conditions, whether residents have Bermudian status, and when they attained it.

Sen. Parris said: "The importance of the census is quite significant. It means the economic and social data about Bermuda's people can be compiled, analysed and published, which greatly assists Government to make sensible decisions.'' Sen. Smith said he was proud of the fact the Statistics Department was entirely Bermudian, and said it showed Bermudianisation could be achieved if there was the will.

Senate Opposition Leader Maxwell Burgess urged people to fully co-operate in the census.

He said the census was a last chance for Government to develop a blueprint for the development of Bermuda for the new Millennium.

"I speak to a sufficient number of people in the community who feel we are not sufficiently informed about a definition of where we are and where we are heading,'' he said.

"What will be our raison d'etre for the first decade of the 21st century? It is how people perceive the ushering in of the 21st century and the direction they think society is going early in the innings that will (shape their) attitude.'' He added: "What I did find missing is what we are going to do with our long-term residents? How many do we have? What do they do? What are we going to do going forward? "We've heard talk about a paper coming forward with a position, but a census could give us 100 percent coverage on who they are, where they are etc.

"Failure to make sure we spend enough time on these issues would not bode well for us.''