Written question asked by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 3 May 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 8 May 2006. It was answered by Bridget Prentice (Labour) on Thursday, 11 May 2006 on behalf of the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

1911 Census

Question: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the Registrar General's conclusion, dated 18 February 2004, regarding the effect of the release of the 1911 Census before 2012 on public trust in statistical confidentiality; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: I have today placed in both Libraries copies of correspondence between my Department and the Office for National Statistics to which the hon. Member refers. No formal assessment was made in response to the letter of 18 February 2004. The Government’s view is that a closure period of 100 years strikes the right balance between the access interests of family historians and the right of citizens to have the personal information about themselves in their census returns kept confidential. Maintaining the security and confidentiality of the information that citizens supply about themselves in their census returns is of paramount importance. It remains government policy to make census returns publicly available after a period of 100 years.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 446 c485W; 69255
Session: 2005-06
Related items: Deposited Paper DEP 06/970
Monday, 8 May 2006
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects: Disclosure of information Census Freedom of information
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk