Written question asked by John M Taylor (Conservative) on Monday, 7 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 March 2005. It was answered by Chris Leslie (Labour) on Monday, 14 March 2005 on behalf of the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

Dept for Constitutional Affairs

Question: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether the Lord Chancellor has ever exercised a power or authority to apply Public Records Act Instrument No. 12 (1966) to decennial population census records for England and Wales that have been retained by the Registrar General and have not been deposited in the Public Record Office/National Archives.

Answer: Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the Lord Chancellor has ever exercised a power or authority to apply Public Records Act Instrument No. 12 (1966) to decennial population census records for England and Wales that have been retained by the Registrar General and have not been deposited in the Public Record Office/ National Archives. [221178] Mr. Leslie: Instrument number 12 was signed by the Lord Chancellor in exercise of the power conferred on him under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958. This section governed access to public records in the Public Record Office, now The National Archives, including decennial population records held there. The Instrument did not cover those decennial census records held by the Registrar General, including those retained by him under section 3(4) of the Public Records Act 1958, and from which the disclosure of information is protected by the provisions of section 8(2) of the Census Act 1920.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 432 c105-6W;432 c103-4W; 221178
Session: 2004-05
Subjects: Disclosure of information Census Ministerial powers Public records Department for Constitutional Affairs General Register Office
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk