§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will consider reducing the time limit from 100 years to 80 years or less under which census information on individuals is kept secret, for the benefit of genealogical research.
§ Mr. FreemanNo. Census records in England and Wales are closed to public inspection for a period of 100 years to fulfil confidentiality assurances given to the public when a census is taken. This period comes near to ensuring that information is not disclosed about living people. However, with the consent of the person concerned or a direct descendant, or the next of kin if the person has died childless, researchers may be informed of the age and place of birth of an individual as recorded in the censuses of 1891 and 1901. These concessions do not extend beyond 1901 because of the stricter confidentiality assurances given in later censuses.