§ Mrs. Haymanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many applications for access to birth records 364W under Section 26 of the Children Act 1975 were received in the six months between 26th November 1976 and 26th May 1977; and how many applications were counselled between those two dates;
(2) whether all counselling under Section 26 of the Children Act 1975 is being done at the Registrar General's office or whether local authorities are also providing counselling facilities.
§ Mr. MoyleBy 26th May 1977 the Registrar General had received 4,699 applications for access to birth records under Section 26 of the Children Act 1975 and had been notified that local authorities had counselled 2,957 applicants. Of the 459 applicants who had been offered dates for interview at the General Register Office, 351 had already been counselled.
§ Mrs. Haymanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how long an applicant under Section 26 of the Children Act 1975 has to wait for a counselling appointment.
§ Mr. MoyleThe period which an applicant for counselling under Section 26 of the Children Act 1975 has to wait for an appointment will depend upon individual circumstances but is between two weeks and six weeks. When the applicant wishes to be counselled at the General Register Office he is offered a date for interview two weeks from the receipt of his formal application.