§ 42. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, whether he is aware that, although the figures for last year's Census are in the hands of the local registrars, the Registrar-General has refused to allow them to be divulged; and whether, in view of the lapse of time since the Census was taken and of the fact that statistics become useless when out of date, he will give instructions for the removal of the restriction prohibiting local registrars from divulging to local authorities the required local Census information?
§ Major BOYD-CARPENTERThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension. No Census figures remain in the hands of local registrars with the exception of any notes or copies, which they may have privately retained, of certain brief abstracts compiled by them for the use of the Registrar-General; and the whole of the statistics, which could safely be based upon those abstracts, were published in August, 1921, in the Preliminary Census Report. With regard to the latter part of the question, all local authorities are aware, I believe, that they can usually obtain from the- Registrar-General any unpublished Census figures which are already available on payment of a small charge.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSCan the hon. and gallant Gentleman give us the approximate date when the figures can be secured on the payment of the ten shillings fee suggested?
§ Major BOYD-CARPENTERI rather suppose by return of post—as soon as the official finds them and returns them by post.