Just saw this on the Sussex-Plus List. Interesting, what? Geo. I recently responded to an email on another list, which in turn sent me to a website where the letter (below) could be found. The email urged that we forward a copy to our MP's in the hope of gaining an early release date. I duly sent a copy to my MP. I later read another email on the same list that claimed the person advising us to contact our MP's was an agitator, just trying to stir up more trouble, and nothing would be gained, as there is no chance of an early release, WHATSOEVER! Today I received a reply from my MP, in which he thanked me for my email and stated "I do think you raise an interesting and important point and I have, as requested, written to the Secretary of State in the Department for Constitutional Affairs, requesting that he respond to your concerns." He finished by saying he would be in touch again, once he had received a reply. I hope others will take the time to read the info in the following letter, and make their own minds up whether it's worth contacting their own MP's, after all, nothing ventured, nothing gained! NO REPLY'S thank you, as I've a hectic weekend ahead. As a census historian who needs to consult the 1911 Census, I would be grateful if you would ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs to ensure that the successful applicant for work on the 1911 Census Online Project will have a contractual duty to gradually release sections of the English and Welsh 1911 census, county-by-county, beginning in 2006 or as soon as possible thereafter. You may have heard that the National Archives has started work on the 1911 Census Online Project but it is planning to keep the 1911 census closed to inspection until 2012, even though the Freedom of Information Act 2000 abolished the 100-year closure rule for ALL censuses. So the National Archives appears to be planning to flout one important provision of the FOI Act - the abolition of 100-year census closure. A similar thing happened between 1959 and 1966, when the statutory closure period for English and Welsh censuses was 50 years. The 50-year old 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses were not released for public inspection between 1959 and 1966, so the provisions of the Public Records Act 1958 were flouted. By keeping the censuses closed, the government avoided enormous public expenditure on micro-filming the records. In 1966, the 100-year census closure rule was imposed by the Registrar General and the Lord Chancellor, against strong opposition from the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Council on Public Records and without MPs being consulted or given an opportunity to vote on the matter. The decision is estimated to have saved £40m in public expenditure. So I would be glad if you would contact the minister on my behalf. And I would be pleased if you would also sign House of Commons Early Day Motion 2330 on the Release of the 1911 Census. You may be aware that the EDM states: That this House notes that the Freedom of Information Act 2000 abolished the 100-year closure rule which was applied to English and Welsh decennial census records between 1966 and 2004; further notes that contractors have been invited to tender by 30th June 2006 for work on the 1911 Census Online Project; and urges Ministers to ensure that the successful applicant has a contractual duty to gradually release sections of the 1911 Census Online, county-by-county, beginning in 2006 or as soon as possible thereafter. You have my permission to copy this letter to the minister.