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The Executive has been urged to withdraw a question about religion that is due to be included in next year's census.

The 2021 census is set to ask about the religious denomination in which a respondent was brought up.

The Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong said the question was unnecessary and "backward facing".

She also said the question was a "flawed measurement".

The Strangford MLA said: "If we keep considering Northern Ireland only in terms of Catholics and Protestants or as a special case how can we move forward in our peace process?".

She added that the wording contained "outdated language" and said the question was "not helpful".

The Alliance MLA called for the Executive to delete the question from next year's census.

The census is used by government departments to help form policy and planning when it comes to a range of issues such as health, education and the economy.

The SDLP and the UUP both gave their support to the way the 2021 census was being planned.

Religion question 'essential'

The North Antrim MLA Jim Allister told the NI Assembly he had concerns that supporters of the Irish language would use the census to overstate the knowledge and understanding of Irish in Northern Ireland.

He said there needed to be a system in place that could check the answers given on the Irish language.

He also recalled the murder of 25-year-old Joanne Mathers a census worker who was shot in Londonderry in April 1981 by the IRA.

The TUV leader called for republicans to apologise for her murder.

Responding to the debate at Stormont the Junior Minister Declan Kearney said the death of Joanne Mathers was a "terrible act that caused deep hurt and suffering".

He said he was committed to creating a "better and shared future."

He rejected Mr Allister's concerns over the Irish Language and said the answers in the census would be tested by the Northern Ireland Statistics Research Agency.

The Sinn Féin MLA also said the religion question which Kellie Armstrong wanted removed was "essential" and had been in the census since 2001.

He said it helped in equality monitoring.

In the UK a census is usually run every 10 years and the results assist population estimates and social surveys.