§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the persons who refused to complete their census return forms in the 1981 census were prosecuted for failure to complete such forms; what percentage this is of the total who did not comply with the legal requirements; what were the sentences passed; and in how many remaining cases legal proceedings are in progress.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to his reply, 6 May 1983, c. 167–68]; None. The Government's overriding consideration is to make the census as comprehensive as possible. Difficulties in taking the census prevented many people making returns at the appropriate time. In these circumstances it was decided to give all house-holders who had not made returns ample opportunity to do so. This approach has been successful and the number of outstanding returns was reduced from 65,000 in April 1981 to 5,971 by May 1982; in only 1,006 of these cases was there refusal to complete a return. Until the follow-up was completed it was not possible to identify those who genuinely intended to make returns and those who did not. Prosecution of those who did not is now time barred.
§ Mr. William Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many persons in Northern Ireland refused to complete their census returns at the 1981 census;
(2) how many persons in each council area in Northern Ireland refused to complete their census forms in the 1981 census.
§ Mr. John Patten[pursuant to his reply, 6 May 1983, c. 167–68]; 1,006 persons refused to complete their census forms. The numbers in each district council area were:
451W
Area Number Antrim 23 Ards 2 Armagh 12 Ballymena 5 Ballymoney 8 Banbridge 1 Belfast 533 Carrickfergus 1 Castlereagh 6 Coleraine 7 Cookstown 38 Craigavon 4 Down 10 Dungannon 39 Fermanagh 18 Larne — Limavady 18 Lisburn 47 Londonderry 75 Magherafelt 34 Moyle 2 Newry and Mourne 52 Newtownabbey 9 North Down 2 Omagh 39 Strabane 21 1,006