Lord Campbell of Croyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why it is necessary for the forms recently issued in Scotland, for completion by the public for the purpose of the Community Charge Register, to require the dates of birth of persons over 18 years of age.
§ The Minister of State, Scottish Office (Lord Sanderson of Bowden)It is a statutory requirement that dates of birth are to be included in the Community Charges Register, under Section 13(1)(d) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987. This provision was included in 887WA response to representations made during the passage of the Bill by the Rating and Valuation Association that some form of numeric identifier would be necessary in the computerised registration system, for example to enable it to distinguish between people of the same name living at a single address or to allow for the clear identification of individuals moving from one registration area to another. The need for this was subsequently confirmed in the report on user requirements for the community charge system prepared by CIPFA Services Ltd in 1987. Date of birth was chosen as a clear and straightforward basis for identifiers.