HC Deb 15 April 1981 vol 3 cc213-4W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the fact that there are cases of whole villages which have not received census forms, whether he will cause an investigation as to how and why this has happened and give details of the actual number that did not have forms issued; and what action has or will be taken against those responsible.

Sir George Young

In an operation on the scale of the census, some properties, and sometimes groups of properties, may be missed during the initial delivery round. Such omissions are rectified as soon as they are known. Census taking in this country equals that in any other country in the world and is better than in most. Minor imperfections in an operation which can never be 100 per cent. perfect are inevitable. I should like to take this opportunity to put on record my congratulations and thanks to all those who have worked so well and so hard to make the 1981 census a success.