asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the population of the United Kingdom in (a) 1951, (b) 1961, (c) 1981, and (d) 2001; and what they estimate the population will be in (e) 2011 and (f) 2021. [HL3443]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, National Statistician, to Lord Laird, dated May 2008.

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Question regarding the population of the United Kingdom in (a) 1951, (b) 1961, (c) 1981, (d) 2001, (e) 2011 and (f) 2021. (HL3443)

Population figures for the years requested are available in tables 1.1 and 1.7 of the 2008 edition of Social Trends (No. 38) which can be found on the National Statistics website at www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=13675&Pos=1&ColRank =1&Rank=272.