§ Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about the Census.
§ Sir K. JosephThe enumeration is now virtually complete and preliminary reports show that, with isolated exceptions, the response of the public to the Census has been good.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain to what extent a Census enumerator broke his oath of secrecy in divulging to his full-time employers, a local rating authority, details upon which the rating officer called to discuss matters 393W which could only have been supplied by the Census enumerator, in the case in which details have been supplied to him; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Sir K. JosephProceedings have been issued against the enumerator concerned.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) by what statutory authority it is permitted for any employer to advise his employees not to fill in their Census forms completely; to what extent the Ministry of Defence's instructions to its 10,000 employees in the Portsmouth area not to give any detailed information of their type of employment will adversely affect the ultimate analysis and accuracy of the Census forms; and whether he will make a statement;
(2) whether he is aware that many Government Departments instructed some of their employees not to fill in their Census forms fully; whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain how many of such persons received such instructions, and publish these details in the OFFICIAL REPORT; and to what extent these persons' refusal to give details will affect the accuracy of the eventual Census form analysis.
§ Sir K. JosephThe instructions referred to did not have the effect of limiting the information provided to less than what was required for the purposes of the Census. No statutory authority was required and no investigation is called for.