§ 13. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now release all Public Record Office files on the Falkland Islands.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe hon. Member has referred to Public Record Office files on the Falkland Islands. I assume that he has in mind records from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its predecessor Departments which have been transferred to the Public Record Office. All of these have entered the public domain, with the exception of those embargoed for a period longer than 30 years under instruments issued by successive Lord Chancellors. I have no reason to vary those arrangements.
§ Mr. DalyellWhy do we have to wait until 1991 to see the file of 1940 and of the Marquis of Willingdon's mission to Argentina entitled, "Proposals to reunite the Falklands Islands with Argentina"? People who talk about reunification cannot be very clear about our right to the islands.
§ Mr. WhitneyAs successive Governments have made clear, we have no doubt at all about our right to the islands. The document to which the hon. Gentleman refers was retained under procedures of which he is extremely well aware and which have been accepted by Governments of both persuasions.