Dear Listers We do not understand why the ONS should choose to restrict the data to 100 years old There are several reasons why they should not do this The government wants to get the entire population of this country on line by 2006 in some form or another The ONS is the property of us the taxpayer, and generates income through the sale of copies of certificates The ONS places the information in the public domain through free access to the records at the FRC, and through sale of fiche to libraries etc. The ONS also sells each years indexes on CD for recent years The issue of privacy is in their hands to control through the sale of certificates This government has committed itself to increased freedom of information As UK taxpayers we feel this information is our property not theirs, the ONS does not own the information. Ian & sue PARSONS - Mdx & Dor SCAPENS - anywhere WALKER - Bdf GILBERT - Mdx BEAN - Ham, Dev & Lnd