The Census (Wales) Regulations 2020

Return of questionnaires from households and electors

13.—(1) Every prescribed person to whom an online household pack has been sent or delivered, or on whose behalf delivery was taken under these Regulations must, on the day after the census day or as soon after as is reasonably practicable—

(a) use the unique access code provided in the pack to access questionnaire H2(online) or H2W(ar-lein), and

(b) complete and submit that questionnaire in accordance with the instructions provided online.

(2) Every prescribed person to whom a paper household pack or a household continuation pack has been sent or delivered, or on whose behalf delivery was taken under these Regulations, must on the day after census day or as soon after as is reasonably practicable—

(a) complete, as appropriate, the copy questionnaire H2(paper), H2W(papur), HC2 (paper) or HC2W (papur) included in the pack and place it in the reply-paid envelope provided and send it to the Authority by post. Such questionnaires may be sent to the Authority by post in the same reply-paid envelope), or

(b) use the unique access code provided to access questionnaire H2(online) or H2W(ar-lein), and complete and submit that questionnaire electronically in accordance with the instructions provided online.

(3) Paragraph (2) (and not paragraph (1)) applies to a prescribed person who has received an online household pack but who has also requested a paper household pack.

(4) Every elector who has requested and received an online individual pack must, on the day after census day or as soon after as is reasonably practicable—

(a) use the unique access code provided in the pack to access questionnaire I2(online) or I2W(ar-lein), and

(b) complete and submit that questionnaire in accordance with the instructions provided online.

(5) Every elector who has requested and received a paper individual pack must, on the day after census day or as soon after as is reasonably practicable—

(a) complete the copy of questionnaire I2(paper) or I2W(papur) included in the pack, place it in the reply-paid envelope provided and send it to the Authority by post, or

(b) use the unique access code provided in the pack to access questionnaire I2(online) or I2W(ar-lein), and complete and submit questionnaire I2(online) or I2W(ar-lein) in accordance with the instructions provided online.

(6) Every elector must ensure that one of the following questionnaires: H2(online) or H2W(ar-lein), H2(paper) or H2W(papur), HC2(paper) or HC2W(papur), I2(online) or I2W(ar-lein), I2(paper) or I2W(papur), is completed in respect of themselves.

(7) Where a questionnaire H2(online) or H2W(ar-lein), a questionnaire H2(paper) or H2W(papur), or a questionnaire HC2(paper) or HC2W(papur) has been completed in respect of an elector, that elector may choose (but is not required), to comply with paragraph (4) or (5).

(8) A questionnaire I2(online) or I2W(ar-lein), or a questionnaire I2(paper) or I2W(papur) submitted by an elector overrides, in relation to any information about that elector, a questionnaire H2(online) or H2W(ar-lein), a questionnaire H2(paper) or H2W(papur), or a questionnaire HC2(paper) or HC2W(papur).

(9) As soon as possible after each completed questionnaire H2(online), H2W(ar-lein), H2(paper), H2W(papur), HC2(paper), HC2W(papur), I2(online), I2W(ar-lein), I2(paper) or I2W(papur) has been received by the Authority, the Authority must make a record in the questionnaire tracking system to show that the relevant questionnaire has been returned.

(10) Where an appointee is satisfied, having spoken with a prescribed person for the purposes of article 5(1) or (3) of the Census Order, that the prescribed person is—

(a) incapable of completing and returning a questionnaire, and

(b) unable to authorise any person to act on the prescribed person’s behalf, then paragraph (11) applies.

(11) The appointee—

(a) may, in accordance with instructions issued by the Authority, make enquiries about the particulars which the prescribed person referred to in paragraph (10) would be required by the Census Order to provide, and

(b) must record the answers to those enquiries, which may be used for the purpose of the census.

(12) As soon as possible after an appointee records the answers in accordance with paragraph (11)(b), the Authority must make an entry in the questionnaire tracking system to show that such a record has been made in respect of that prescribed person.