http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/24/section/1/notesCensusesRace relationsPopulation and migrationSocial inclusionEthnic communitiesExplanatory Notes to Census (Amendment) Act 2000Office for National StatisticsKing's Printer of Acts of Parliament2011-12-05 24 28th July 2000 19 Subsection (1) adds ‘Religion’ to those topics that are specified in the Schedule to the Census Act as being matters in respect of which particulars may be required to be given in the Census. 20 Subsection (2), which inserts a new subsection (1A) into section 8 of the Census Act, provides that no person shall be liable to a penalty under subsection (1) of section 8 for refusing or neglecting to state any particulars in respect of religion – effectively making the question on religion a voluntary question.