HC Deb 09 August 1920 vol 133 cc135-6

  1. (1) If any enumerator makes wilful default in the performance of any of his duties under this Act, he shall for each offence be liable on conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction (Ireland) Acts to a fine not exceeding five pounds.
  2. (2) If any person refuses to answer or wilfully gives a false answer to any question necessary for obtaining the information required to be obtained under this Act, he shall for each offence be liable on conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction (Ireland) Acts to a fine not exceeding five pounds. Provided that no person shall be subject to any such penalty for refusing to state his religious profession.
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  3. (3) If any person employed in taking the census communicates without lawful authority any information acquired in the course of his employment, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding two years, or to a fine or to both such imprisonment and fine.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

I beg to move, at the end of Sub-section (2), to insert the words, "or occupation."

8.0 P.M.

The heads under which His Excellency is allowed to demand information are given in Clause 2. He has power to demand the occupation of each person. I do not know that it is necessary, for reasons of health statistics or any other statistics, to demand the occupation. I can foresee cases in which people in Ireland would object to stating what their occupation is. It may be because they have not got one. If they object to giving their occupation I do not see why they should be asked for it. If you can excuse a man from giving his religious profession I do not see why you should insist on his telling you how he earns his money. After all, this is a census for purely scientific purposes, and I am trying to put in safeguards which will prevent it being used for political purposes.

Whereupon the GENTLEMAN USHER OF THE BLACK ROD (Lieut.-Colonel Sir W. P. Pulteney) having come with a Message, the CHAIRMAN left the Chair.

MR. SPEAKER resumed the Chair.

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