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Scottish Office

Answer

Mr. John M. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the linear metres of storage space occupied by each of the pre-1992 decennial census returns for Scotland, (b) the actual costs, at current prices, of microfilming each of the pre-1901 census returns and (c) the average microfilm cost per linear metre, at current prices. [84496] Mr. Macdonald: The 1841-91 census returns for Scotland which are open to the public occupy approximately the following amounts of shelving in accommodation belonging to the Registrar General for Scotland. For more details of the storage space occupied by the 1901 and later censuses, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire (Sir B. Mawhinney) on 13 May 1999, Official Report, column 191. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Linear metres 1841 Census {1}278 47 1851 Census {2}176 26.9 1861 Census {2}1,328 35.9 1871 Census {2}1,392 26.9 1881 Census {2}1,080 26.9 1891 Census {2}1,480 39.2 All open censuses -- 202.8 All closed censuses -- 6,025.8 All censuses -- 6,228.6 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Boxes {2} Volumes The open censuses have all been microfilmed and there are no plans to refilm. Information on the actual costs of filming--which took place over a period of years starting in the 1950s--cannot now be assembled. As a very approximate guide, the estimated cost at 1999 prices of microfilming paper volumes of census returns such as would take up one linear metre of shelving might be of the order of £400 to £500. From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

84496; 331 c390-1W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Costs Census Public records Microforms Scotland Storage General Register Office for Scotland

Contains statistics

Yes