§ 9. Lieut.-Colonel Hydeasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to transfer to the Public Record Office in the interests of historical research such of his remaining Departmental records as are more than 50 years old; and how far access to these records by the public will be subject to any restrictions.
§ Mr. EdeRecords prior to 1870 are already with the Public Record Office; those of the following 30 years are expected to be transferred by the end of 1951. Access to the majority of these records will not be subject to any restrictions but certain classes of paper, as, for example, those which might be used in such a way as to give pain to living persons, will not normally be open for public inspection.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HydeDoes the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that these records are of as much public and historic 1875 interest as those of the Star Chamber, whose publication at present in a London evening newspaper is, presumably, not subject to any restriction? In view of this would the right hon. Gentleman remove all restrictions when the documents are released at the end of 1951?
§ Mr. EdeNo, Sir. I think that one must have regard to pain that might be caused to living persons if certain papers were open to public inspection. Apart from that, they will be available for inspection by anyone who wants to see them.