Census Internet Site (Hansard, 23 January 2002)

§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)
My Lords, the 1901 census Internet site went live on 2nd January. It was additional to the normal free microfiche service which was also released across the country. From 7th January, due to unprecedented demand, Internet access to the website was limited to users at the Family Record Centre and the Public Record Office, as well as at 150 libraries and service centres across the country. Qinetiq is now enhancing the website and the general Internet service will be restored incrementally on completion of the work.

§ Lord Avebury
My Lords, while I congratulate the PRO on its decision to make the 1901 census available online, and on the enhancements now being made to the website which will enable a larger number of users to access it, can the noble Baroness explain why the PRO did not accept the advice of the FRC consultative committee which, on 10th October last year, found that the PRO was underestimating demand for the website? Why did the PRO not take advice from the Mormons, who had a similar experience when their website went live in May 1999? Furthermore, can the noble Baroness tell the House how many users per day and how many hits per day will the website be able to cope with when finally it does go live?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, the PRO did take advice along the lines indicated by the noble Lord. We were aware of the experience of the Mormons. But noble Lords will know that, following its launch, the Mormon website, "FamilySearch", now experiences 7.4 million hits per day, which equates to 89,000 visitors or users per day. We scoped for 1 million users per day, rising to a peak of 1.2 million, which is the settled rate. That is a huge number of users. We did fully take into account the possible interest that might be generated by the website.
The website should be able to deal with a user rate of 1.2 million per day. Noble Lords should also know that, when the website came online, the hit rate ran at 1.2 million per hour. No scoping exercise could have reasonably anticipated such a vast interest.

§ Baroness Crawley
My Lords, my noble friend on the Front Bench mentioned that, during the period while the website is not up and running, various venues across the country have been made available so that people can gain access to it. Can she detail where those venues are located? Furthermore, can my noble friend tell the House a little about how the website has been constructed? I had understood that the website was designed to be socially inclusive, rather than simply to address those known organisations and individuals with an interest in genealogy.

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, my noble friend is right, the 1901 census site was intended to be socially inclusive—and it is. One of the delights of the site is that ordinary men and women—not only the historians and genealogists who normally use the site—have been able to have access. There is a growing fascination among all of us about our history. The people of this country and the diaspora—particularly our American cousins—are exploring the site with great energy. We celebrate that and are grateful for it. But we have had to manage it—and we are trying now to manage that interest. There is a free microfiche or microfilm service available across the country at local record sites and at the PRO office at Kew.
As I said, the site has been scoped to deal with up to 1.2 million users and access is available at 150 sites across the country in libraries and service centres. We have them in Norfolk, Liverpool, Lincolnshire, Essex and Newcastle. There will be positions in Exeter, Dorset and Wiltshire. Our Welsh colleagues need not worry that we have forgotten them because Powys is coming soon.

§ Lord McNally
My Lords, given the interest in this subject, are there any plans to put earlier censuses on the site? There is an interest in genealogy and we might find that we have more blue blood in the House than is known.

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, some people may be surprised by what they have in this House. There is a real interest in this subject. One of the joys of being able to do this is that we know that we have tapped into something which connects with ordinary 1464 people in the street. We carried out a scoping study in relation to an earlier census and it is likely, if we get sufficient money, that we will look at further and other matters for which we can provide a similar service. For instance, we know that there is a huge interest in relation to the First and Second World War records. I can assure the House that this is just the beginning.

§ Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville
My Lords, has the irony struck the Minister that, despite the Prime Minister's views on conservatism, the nation appears to have a considerable interest in its past?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, the House will know that my right honourable friend the Prime Minister has a considerable interest in this country's past. His government have evidenced that interest by the energetic and wonderful work that the Public Records Office is now undertaking and will continue to undertake. I can reassure the noble Lord that the Government love this country's history as much as any who sit in the House.

§ Lady Saltoun of Abernethy
My Lords, are there access sites to the website in Scotland?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, there are sites, but they are not run by the PRO. Your Lordships will know that the Public Records Office deals with matters in England and Wales. But I am sure that our Scottish cousins are as hungry for information as those south of the Border.

§ Lord Rotherwick
My Lords, can the Minister say when enhancement will be completed? Will there be an additional cost to the original tender for the enhancement?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, the technological and commercial risks involved are held by Qinetiq, the firm which is undertaking the enhancement. We hope that it will be completed as soon as reasonably practicable. Your Lordships will know that I hesitate to give a date because of the consequences the last time a date was mooted. It will come quickly—but I know it will not come quickly enough for some.