To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he expects the cost to the public funds to be of the General Register Office's Magpie project; what the timetable is for the implementation of the project; and if he will make a statement. (169523)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 10 December 2007:

As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the expected cost will be to the public funds of the General Register Office's Magpie project; what the timetable is for the implementation of the project; and if he will make a statement. (169523)

A revised business case for the MAGPIE project is still in preparation. Estimates of costs and timetables will be available when the business case has been finalised and approved.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the public funds (a) has been and (b) is expected to be in total of the General Register Office's Dove project; and how much was originally budgeted for the cost of the project. (169524)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 10 December 2007:

As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the cost to the public funds (a) has been and (b) is expected to be in total of the General Register Office's Dove project; and how much was the original sum budgeted for the cost of the project. (169524)

Almost all of the costs of DOVE project are capitalised. To date, capital expenditure on the project is £8.1 million and total capital expenditure is currently projected to be £18.1 million. The capital cost of the project was estimated in the business case as £20 million.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the digitisation of records of births, marriages and deaths to be (a) completed and (b) made available to the public online; and if he will make a statement. (169525)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 10 December 2007:

As National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking when the digitisation of records of births, marriages and deaths will be (a) completed and (b) made available to the public online; and if he will make a statement. (169525)

The current estimate is that the digitisation of records of births, marriages and deaths will be complete by August 2009. The date by which index data derived from the digitisation contract will be available for on-line access by the public will depend on the revised business case for the General Register Office's MAGPIE project, still in the course of preparation. Assuming the business case is approved and the necessary funding confirmed, it is hoped that the project can be completed by the end of 2009.