Monday, December 18, 2006

important message from SOG London

THE FREEDOM of INFORMATION COMMISSIONER HAS DECIDED THAT LIMITED ACCESS CAN BE MADE TO INFORMATION FROM THE 1911 CENSUS.

The National Archived released the following press release
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/13dec2006.pdf


The Society of Genealogists met with TNA on 13 December and was delighted to
learn that the effect of the decision means that The National Archives must
supply SOME information from the 1911 in response to Freedom of Information
(FOI) requests. Family Historians and other searchers will be able, from 17
January 2007, to pay for searches in the census from the TNA paid research
service at a cost of £45 per address search. Sensitive information will be
redacted (i.e. blacked out) from the census information given to the
recipient.

Note that until the census is fully digitised searches can only be made
using addresses and not surnames.

Hence searches must be made using the
special online census search request forms that will be made available on
TNA’s web site in January.

See the 1911 FAQ
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help/1911census/faq-foi.htm

for more information on making a search request. The Census will not be made
available in microform nor will public access be allowed to the original
returns.

TNA is developing a digitised online 1911service and is speeding up the
process. It hopes that a limited online search facility will be ready in
2009 with some key sensitive information (such as infirmity or mental
condition) withheld until the release of the full census in 2012.

Genealogists will no doubt find the online search facility quicker, cheaper
and easier to use than the paid search requests and will probably wait until
the full index is available in 2009.

Further notes on access to the census are available on TNA’s website
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/1911census/?homepage=news

The Information Commissioners decision is available online at
http://www.ico.gov.uk/tools_and_resources/decision_notices/2006_12.aspx


Else Churchill
Genealogy Officer
13 December 2006
Else Churchill
Genealogy Officer
Society of Genealogists
14 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1M 7BA
direct phone 020 7702 5488

Visit the Society's website at http://www.sog.org.uk/


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