§ 33. Mr, Newensasked the Attorney-General how many times public documents and records released for public inspection and study after the prescribed 30 year period have subsequently been withdrawn over the past five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the use of the power conferred by section 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958, as amended by the 1967 Act, to prescribe a period of closure exceeding 30 years. In the past five years public records over 30 years old opened to public inspection in the Public Record Office have subsequently been made the subject of such a prescription on six occasions. The documents belong to 11 separate classes.
§ Mr. NewensWill my right hon. and learned Friend confirm that certain Metropolitan Police reports on the hunger marches, including accounts that were compiled by police informers of meetings in the House of Commons attended by important Members of Parliament, were, as the result of a police review, withdrawn from the Public Record Office in the summer of 1976 after having previously been placed there after the prescribed 30 years? Is that not an extremely dangerous precedent? Does it not mean that the police or other authorities could withdraw from public scrutiny and study important documents that should be available for public investigation and research? Will he make it clear that the whole business will be reviewed with a view to stopping any recurrences?
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe documents were not withdrawn. They were made subject to the additional period of prescription to which I referred in my answer. Since then, the matter has been reviewed. Three of the four documents in question have been re-opened to the public. My hon. and learned Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, in an answer to my hon. Friend in December, explained why the period of prescription is increased. Those are reasons that may apply to a document even after it happens to have become open to inspection It may be found that one of the reasons applies. These are difficult matters and my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is giving his fullest consideration to the whole subject.