HC Deb 10 May 1999 vol 331 cc46-7W
Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the Acts and the sections of those Acts which define public access to census returns.[83773]

Mr. Hoon

No Acts specifically define public access to census returns.

The following Acts and sections relate to the confidentiality of information in census returns: The Census Act 1920, section 8(2), as amended by the Census (Confidentiality) Act 1991, section 1.

The following Acts and sections govern public access to census returns within the public records system: The Public Records Act 1958, section 3(4); and section 5(1), as amended by the Public Records Act 1967, section 1.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the right hon. and hon. Members who, since 1 September 1998, have been informed by the Public Record Office that access to the 1921, 1951 and 1961 census returns is covered by the Census Act 1920 as amended by the Census (Confidentiality) Act 1991. [83754]

Mr. Hoon

I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 5 May 1999,Official Report, column 427.