§ 30. Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General when he expects the completion of the feasibility study announced by the Lord Chancellor in another place on 8 December on making microfilms of registers of birth, marriage and death certificates available to the public for research purposes; and when it will be possible to implement any recommendations which he finds acceptable.
§ The Attorney-General (Sir Michael Havers)The feasibility study is expected to take about six months. I cannot anticipate its outcome.
§ Mr. NewensDoes the Attorney-General recognise that the fact that the valuable archives held by the Registrar-General remain closed, in contrast to all other public records, is a serious handicap to research work, and that it is not removed by the fact that individual certificates can be purchased for a considerable fee? How soon does the right hon. and learned Gentleman think this information, which is available, and which should be made available to the public at large, can be made accessible? Does he not think that there is a necessity to get on with the matter for the benefit of many people engaged in research—genealogists, biographers and others?
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe hon. Gentleman is mistaken. These are not public records, and they have never been treated as such. But the whole matter is under review by the Lord Chancellor, and we hope to have some information in the summer.