§ Mr. WoolasTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to improve public access to the Civil Registration System. [36828]
§ Mrs. LiddellThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Phil Woolas, dated 8 April 1998:
As Director of the Office for National Statistics(ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent question on improving public access to the civil registration system.The public access the civil registration system in many ways. The newly established Family Records Centre (FRC) in Islington provides improved facilities for people who wish to search the indexes of birth, marriage and death in England Wales since 1837. Certificates of these events can be purchased via the FRC or by post, phone or fax. Whilst service developments are planned, some significant improvements (such as access to the records themselves or computerisation of the indexes) require legislative change or significant investment.At a local level, the public register births and deaths and use the civil marriage facilities in Register Offices and Approved Premises. Local Authorities are responsible for the provision of Register Office facilities and are increasingly upgrading them. They are also increasingly tailoring the service provision to their local circumstances. The Registrar General provides advice to Local Authorities and monitors the standard of the local services.