Senseless Census

I was filling out my page in the Census when I realised how bizarre some of the questions are...

What is your legal marital or same-sex civil partnership status?

Married, divorced, widowed.. etc

and then:

'surviving partner from a same-sex civil partnership.' 

Interesting wording.

After this I had to choose my ethnic group. Of which, 'Gypsy or Irish Traveller' was an option.

Q17 says: "This question is intentionally left blank --> to go 18"

What exactly is the point in this?

And why is it that when I read these ridiculous questions, I got the image in my head of Clegg and Cameron writing them saying 'we'll put this one in just for fun! They're too stupid to notice...'

It's a good thing we only do these every 10 years.