Citation, commencement and interpretation

1. -�

(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Census (Amendment) Regulations 1991 and shall come into force on 12th April 1991.

(2) In these Regulations "the principal Regulations" means the Census Regulations 1990(3).

Amendment of the principal Regulations

2. -�

(1) In regulation 13(2) of the principal Regulations (collection of returns) at the beginning there is inserted "Subject to regulation 13A,".

(2) After regulation 13 of the principal Regulations there is inserted-�

"Collection of returns by post

13A.-(1) This regulation applies in the case of an enumeration districtwhere-�

(a)the enumeration district is in a census district in which the number of persons who have been appointed as enumerators is less than the number of enumeration districts in that census district; and

(b)the enumerator has also been appointed as enumerator for another enumeration district in that census district; and

(c)it would not be reasonably practicable for the enumerator to visit all the dwellings and premises referred to in regulation 8(1) within one week after census day, in order to collect all the forms of return delivered by him and all separate forms of return issued in accordance with regulation 10.

(2) In the case of an enumeration district to which this regulation applies, the enumerator, when he delivers a form of return under regulation 8(1) or 10, may also deliver-�

(a)a notice asking the prescribed person to whom he delivers the form to return the completed form by posting it to the census officer before 24th April 1991 by first-class post, and

(b)an envelope addressed to the census officer for delivery by first-class post which does not require payment by the sender.

(3) In the case of an enumeration district to which this regulation applies, the census officer shall open all the envelopes which he receives as a result of the procedure under paragraph (2) and-�

(a)if the envelope contains a further sealed envelope issued under regulation 10 or 11, he shall open that further envelope as if it had been passed to him in accordance with regulation 13(4) or (5) and examine the form of return;

(b)otherwise, he shall pass the form of return to the enumerator, unless the enumerator has delivered up the enumeration record book in accordance with regulation 14(2).

(4) In the case of an enumeration district to which this regulation applies, if by 25th April 1991 the census officer has not received a form of return from a prescribed person to whom a notice has been delivered under paragraph (2), the enumerator shall make all such inquiries of that person as are reasonably necessary to obtain from him the particulars prescribed by the Census Order to be stated in the return.

(5) In respect of an enumeration district to which this regulation applies-�

(a)regulations 10(2) and 11 (which refer to the issue of envelopes in which the completed forms of return may be sealed) shall apply as if the references in those regulations to a form of return being collected by the enumerator include a form of return in a sealed envelope being placed in a further envelope and posted to the census officer in accordance with the notice delivered under paragraph (2); and

(b)regulations 13(3)and 14(1) and (2) shall apply as if the references in those regulations to forms of return which have been collected by the enumerator include forms of return which have been passed to the enumerator under paragraph (3)."

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Census Regulations 1990 for England and Wales to allow for completed census forms to be returned by post where within any census district the number of enumerators is insufficient to collect all the forms by visiting the dwellings or premises concerned within a week after census day.

The Regulations insert a new regulation 13A in the principal Regulations. Regulation 13A(1) specifies the circumstances in which that regulation applies to an enumeration district. Regulation 13A(2) to (4) set out the details of the procedure. Regulation 13A(5) makes consequential provision for forms returned under this procedure to be treated as if they had been collected by the enumerator.

These amending Regulations come into force for the purposes of the census which is to be taken for Great Britain on 21st April 1991 pursuant to the Census Order 1990 (S.I. 1990/243).