105.This section transfers the statistical functions of the Registrar General for England and Wales to the Board. These functions include responsibility for conducting the census and the production of an annual volume which, among other things, contains figures on the number of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships that have taken place in England and Wales during the previous year. The functions also include the role of assessor to the Parliamentary Boundary Commissions for England and for Wales. This involves giving advice to the Commissions on issues such as population estimates.
106.The Schedule contains the amendments consequential on, and supplementary to, section 25.
107.The amendments to the Census Act 1920 give the Board the same responsibilities that applied to the Registrar General, apart from the following two specific provisions. Paragraph 3 amends section 3 of the Census Act to require the Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Welsh Ministers to consult the Board prior to making any regulations under this provision. The references to the Welsh Ministers in the amended section 3 reflect the transfer of the regulation-making power in section 3 to Welsh Ministers under the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions)(No. 2) Order 2006 which came into force on 15 December 2006.
108.Paragraph 5 amends section 3 of the Census Act so as to enable the Board to acquire information from any government department or local authority, having first consulted with the Registrar General, in relation to registration information. Paragraph 6 amends section 6 of the Census Act 1920 to clarify to whom a local authority should submit an application for a local census in England and Wales or in Scotland respectively.
109.Paragraph 8 amends section 4 of the Population (Statistics) Act 1938 to permit the Board to disclose information collected under this Act, providing it is necessary in connection with the performance of its functions under section 5 of the Census Act 1920.
110.Paragraph 9 amends section 19 of the Registration Service Act 1953 to place on the Board the responsibility for sending an annual abstract to the Minister for the Cabinet Office.
111.Paragraph 10 amends paragraph 5(a) and (c) of Schedule 1 of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 to place the role of assessor to the Boundary Commissions for England and for Wales on the Board.
112.Paragraph 11 amends section 14(6)(a) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to place the role of assessor to the Boundary Committees for England and for Wales on the Board.