Anyone questioned in a major national survey about their job, the food they buy or their fuel bills, will soon also be asked whether they are heterosexual, gay, bisexual or 'other'.
This means that a question about sexual identity is now almost certain to be included in the next census, which will be held in 2011.
The demand that individuals supply intimate personal details to officials comes at a time of deepening concern about the State's thirst for ever-greater amounts of private information, and worries over how that information is stored and used.
Last night MPs described the move as a gross invasion of privacy. Former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe said: 'I would ask them to mind their own business. This is going completely over the top and is state intrusion of the very worst kind.
'It just goes to show the level of obsession there is out there with this subject.'
Fellow Conservative MP David Davies said: 'There's a real element of Big Brother about this.
'Taxpayers want their cash spent on doctors, nurses, teachers and policemen, not any army of clipboard-wielding bureaucrats quizzing us about what goes on between the sheets.'
But Karen Dunnell, the National Statistician, insisted that most people would be willing to answer questions about their sexuality in confidence.
She confirmed that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will collect data on sexual identity on all its major continuous surveys from January 2009.
Officials will show respondents a card which asks: 'Which of the options on this card best describes how you think of yourself? Please just read out the number next to the description. Heterosexual/straight, gay/lesbian, bisexual, other.'
Mrs Dunnell explained that the term 'other' has been included as some people say the categories do not describe themselves and they would prefer to use another term.
She added that the question was being asked on a card to prevent anyone overhearing the answer.
Mrs Dunnell said: 'Better measurement of equality is essential if we are properly to analyse, understand and address inequalities in society. continues here
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