Forms returned

Sheffield: 82% East Anglia: 81% North east England: 80% Yorks and Lincs: 80% Northern Home Counties: 76% Wales: 76% Bradford and Leeds: 75% Birmingham: 74% East Midlands: 74% Greater Manchester: 73% Scotland: 72% West Midlands: 72% South 72% South West: 72% North West: 71% Liverpool: 59% Greater London: 58%

Householders face a fine of up to �1,000 for not returning the forms.

It is the first year people have been able to return their census forms by post and Mr Bradbury called the scheme "a resounding success".

Graham Jones, director of the census in England and Wales, added: "It is vitally important that we get all the census forms back.

"We need a complete picture of the nation so that public spending and services can be planned properly over the next ten years.

"So, if you haven't filled in your form yet please fill it in now and either post it back or we will call to collect it."

Sheffield quick off mark

The General Register Office for Scotland, which deals with the census north of the border, said 72% of forms had been returned by Tuesday.

A spokesman told BBC News Online that of the 2.3 million forms issued in Scotland, 1.7 million were back, with an estimated half a million in the postal system.

Latest figures for England and Wales suggest householders in Greater London have shown the most apathy towards the census, with only 58% of forms returned.

And the people of Sheffield have achieved the highest success rate with 82% of forms in already.

In Scotland, Orkney and Shetland top the list of returns, with 85% and 87% respectively.

Renfrewshire comes bottom with 52% of forms sent back.

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency said over 80% of the 650,000 forms sent out had been returned.