# The Census Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020, Regulation 19: Initial procedure if no questionnaire or an incomplete questionnaire is received by the Registrar General


(1) The Registrar General must check the records in the questionnaire tracking system to establish whether each questionnaire that was sent or delivered in accordance with these Regulations, has been received by the Registrar General.
(2) The Registrar General must then issue every census team co-ordinator and the communal establishment co-ordinator with a list that contains the addresses in those appointees’ respective area to which a unique access code was provided but an online questionnaire was not completed and submitted, or to which a paper questionnaire was sent or delivered, but was not returned.
(3) Each census team co-ordinator and the communal establishment co-ordinator must supply the census officers appointed to act within those appointees’ respective census team co-ordinator areas and communal establishment area with copies of the list created under paragraph (2) and instruct those census officers to make such enquiries as they think are reasonable of any person to obtain the particulars which the Census Order requires a prescribed person to provide.
(4) Where a census officer has made enquiries under paragraph (3) of a prescribed person in respect of whom no questionnaire has been received by the Registrar General the officer may—
(a) assist with the completion of a completed questionnaire from either the prescribed person or any person able to act on their behalf;
(b) collect a completed questionnaire from either the prescribed person or any person able to act on their behalf;
(c) encourage the prescribed person or any person able to act on their behalf to complete a questionnaire and return it to the Registrar General;
(d) agree with the prescribed person or any person able to act on their behalf that a completed paper questionnaire will be returned by posting it in the pre-paid reply envelope provided as soon as possible thereafter; and/or
(e) provide a replacement unique access code or paper questionnaire.
(5) The Registrar General or regional manager may at any time issue reminder correspondence to any address to which a unique access code was provided but an online questionnaire was not completed and submitted, or to which a paper questionnaire was sent or delivered, but was not returned.
(6) Where a questionnaire is then received by the Registrar General following enquiries under this Regulation, the Registrar General must make a record in the questionnaire tracking system to show that a questionnaire has been received.
(7) Where a questionnaire is received by the Registrar General but the questionnaire does not include some or all of the particulars which the prescribed person was required by the Census Order to provide then an appointee –
(a) may, in accordance with any directions which may be issued by the Registrar General, make such enquiries as the appointee think are reasonable of any person to obtain the missing particulars; and
(b) must record the answers to those enquiries which may be used for the purpose of the census.
(8) After an appointee makes a record in accordance with paragraph (7)(b), the Registrar General must make an entry in the questionnaire tracking system to show that such a record has been made in respect of that prescribed person.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2020/116/regulation/19 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/census-regulations-northern-ireland-2020/regulation-19
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.