Big ask
Birmingham Council asked residents, in a survey on wheelie bins, whether they were gay or bisexual. Some more nosey questions asked by councils:
— Is your gender identity the same as the gender you were assigned with at birth? (Consultation into relief road near Manchester Airport)
— Which of the following describes your religion? (Lambeth council consultation on road humps)
— Which of the following describes how you think of yourself? Male? Female? In another way? (Consultation on super fast broadband for Isle of Wight council)
— What do you think caused your heterosexuality? (Staff questionnaire at Buckinghamshire County Council)
On the way
David Nicholson, chief executive of the NHS, said he had to travel first class since it was the only way he could work. What do rail travellers do on their journeys?
| COMMUTERS | |
| Reading for leisure | 42% |
| Window gazing/people-watching | 12% |
| Working/studying | 13% |
| Talking to other passengers | 4% |
| Sleeping | 5% |
| Listening to radio/music | 4% |
| BUSINESS TRAVELLERS | |
| Reading for leisure | 22% |
| Window gazing/people-watching | 12% |
| Working/studying | 35% |
| Talking to other passengers | 5% |
| Sleeping | 2% |
| Listening to radio/music | 1% |
| LEISURE TRAVELLERS | |
| Reading for leisure | 27% |
| Window gazing/people-watching | 27% |
| Working/studying | 6% |
| Talking to other passengers | 9% |
| Sleeping | 1% |
| Listening to radio/music | 3% |
Source: Centre for Transport and Society, University of the West of England
Golden ticket
A travel company unveiled a holiday costing £445,000 per person — taking in 962 world heritage sites and lasting two years. How much does the average Briton spend on foreign holidays at 2011 prices?
| 2007 | £541 |
| 2008 | £477 |
| 2009 | £377 |
| 2010 | £368 |
| 2011 | £342 |
Source: ONS
Before the floods
— £5.7bn Cost to the economy of green taxes and levies, which the government justifies by saying we must halt global warming for fear of facing increasing risk of flooding and other extreme weather events (Figure calculated by Policy Exchange)
— £29m Amount government has cut from the flood defence budget this year
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