HC Deb 24 May 2002 vol 386 c665W
Mr. John Taylor

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated annual storage costs are for each of the(a) 1921, (b) 1951, (c) 1961 and (d) 1971 decennial population census records for England and Wales; and which Department is responsible for paying those storage costs. [59067]

Ruth Kelly

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. John Taylor, dated 24 May 2002:

As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the estimated annual storage costs are for each of the 1921, 1951, 1961 and 1971 decennial population census records for England and Wales; and which Department is responsible for paying those storage costs. (59067)

Currently the estimated annual storage costs for each of these censuses are:—

1921 £9,500
1951 £17,000
1961 £26,500
1971 £69,000
Total £122,000

As Registrar General, I am responsible for the custody of these census records and the Office for National Statistics is responsible for paying these storage costs.