I have just received the following from H.M. Government:
The e-petition asking the Prime Minister to "reduce the classified period for census
data from 100 years to 70 years" has now closed. This is an email response from HM
Government.
Thank you for signing the e-petition calling for the closure period on census data to be
reduced from its present 100 years to 70 years for the 1911, 1921 and 1931 censuses.
The Government understands the frustrations this delay can cause, particularly to people
who are researching their family history. But these frustrations have to be balanced
against the assurances given to people at the time about confidentiality. This also has
implications today, for public confidence in the privacy of information which people
provide in future censuses.
Clearly, the importance of the personal information provided in the census is that it
enables a detailed and accurate picture to be built up of our society. This is of great
assistance to Government and to the community as a whole in helping shape policies and set
priorities for the future. But unless people believe that the personal data they provide -
which includes details of their occupation and who is living with them - will remain
confidential and secure as they have been promised, the danger is that they might feel
reluctant to give sensitive information.
It is for this reason that there is a policy of a 100-year delay before releasing the
personal data in the census. The purpose is to minimise the risk of embarrassment both to
those living and to their immediate descendants. The Government does not believe this
policy should be altered or the explicit assurances given to people at the time broken.
You might like to know, however, that the 1911 census was not taken under this Act. The
census returns are held by the National Archives, not the Office for National Statistics.
Plans are underway to set up an on-line search service of the 1911 census by 2009,
although again personally sensitive material will not be released until 2011. The National
Archives will also respond to certain requests for information on the 1911 census under
the Freedom of Information Act.
On a sadder note, the 1931 census records were destroyed by fire during the Second World
War.
We know this reply will disappoint many people, but hope you will understand that in the
long-term, the reasons given are in the best interests of preserving the census for future
generations.
Peter Williams