CENSUS ORDER, 1920. (Hansard, 29 November 1920)

§ VISCOUNT SANDHURST

My Lords, in accordance with the provisions of Section 1, subsection (2), of the Census Act, 1920, I beg to move to resolve, That this House approves Sections 14 and 15 of Part I., and Sections 13, 14, and 15 of Part II., of the Second Schedule to the Draft of the Census Order, 1920. Your Lordships will remember that during this session the Census Bill introduced in this House by Lord Astor was passed. To give effect to it an Order in Council has to be laid on the Table for 20 working days, and is valid unless an Address is voted in respect of it. This is so far as regards paragraphs 1 to 5 of the Schedule of the Act. But paragraph 6 of that Schedule has a wider reference, and in regard to this a positive Resolution is necessary in both Houses.

The substance of it is found in the italicised paragraphs of the Order in Council 717 paragraphs 14 and 15, Part I, England and Wales, and paragraphs 13, 14, and 15, Part II, in regard to Scotland. Paragraphs 14 and 15, England, and paragraphs 13 and 14, Scotland, are identical. The object is to get statistics of dependency. These paragraphs deal with numbers of all living children under sixteen, including illegitimate children, carefully excluding identity, with step-children, and also with orphans, or those who have lost one or other parent. The scope of paragraph 5 in the Schedule deals only with children born in marriage. The return taken under that paragraph alone would be falsified by the omission of an unknown number of illegitimate children, stepchildren, and orphans, exceeding a million.

Part II, paragraph 15, regards those entitled to medical relief under the Health Insurance Act, and this question is only to be asked in Scotland, for it is there thought that under the special conditions of that country economy in administration may result. The Resolution passed the House of Commons without comment.