HC Deb 17 May 1971 vol 817 cc234-5W
Mr. Mudd

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many 1971 Census P forms were printed, and at what cost, under reference HPB-56–3958 7/70 and under reference HPB-56–5279 3/71, respectively; why it was not possible for sufficient forms to have been printed initially; and what was the additional cost of resetting and running a second consignment as against an initial run of sufficient quantity.

Sir K. Joseph

The number of Census P and PW forms printed under the following references, and the cost of printing were:

HPB-56–3958 7/70 2,760,000 cost £6,863
HPB-56–5279 3/71 300,000 cost £1,016
Two further reprintings were carried out later. All reprints amounted to 720,000 forms and their total cost was£2,244. It is estimated that if all had been printed under the original order, the total cost would have been£1,786; so that the additional cost of all reprintings is estimated at£458.

The printing order for Census P forms was increased to cover any possible extra demand that might have resulted from the unusual publicity given to the confidential nature of Census returns and reports from the recently appointed field staff that certain institutions such as schools, universities and hotels might contain more persons on 25th April than had originally been estimated.

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