Written question asked by Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 1 December 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 December 2003. It was answered by Chris Leslie (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 December 2003 on behalf of the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

Dept for Constitutional Affairs

Question: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when he plans to release the 1911 decennial population census for England and Wales. - Including ref to s5(2) of the Public Records Act 1958.

Answer: Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when he plans to release the 1911 decennial population census for England and Wales. [141913] Mr. Leslie: The 1911 census returns, now in the custody of the National Archives, are currently closed for 100 years by Lord Chancellor's Instrument no. 12 of 1966, on the grounds that the information was supplied in strict confidence. s5(2) of the Public Records Act 1958 provides for the extension of the normal 30-year closure period in such cases. The National Archives is, therefore, currently considering ways of making the 1911 census data generally available to the public at the end of the 100 year closure period.

Secondary information