The director of the 2001 census has quit after breaching the survey's confidentiality for the first time in its 200-year history.

Graham Jones resigned after he gave details from the 1961 census - data is supposed to be kept confidential for 100 years - to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The leak emerged during evidence to the Commons public administration committee from registrar general, Len Cook.

"He gave out the information. The critical thing is that he did not make it known to me what he had done on a matter that was known to be of some consequence," he told MPs.

Jones quit for "personal reasons" as a case of serious misconduct was being prepared.