HC Deb 02 June 1942 vol 380 cc544-5W
Mr. Dodd

asked the Postmaster-General what records of the General Post Office have recently been destroyed as waste-paper?

Mr. W. S. Morrison

The release of records of the Post Office for pulping is a continuous process and is carried on, as opportunity and staff permit, within the limits of the sixth and seventh schedules of classes of documents which are not considered to be of sufficient public value to justify their preservation. These schedules were approved by the Master of the Rolls on 9th December, 1924, and 25th October, 1940.

Mr. Dodd

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent records of the General Post Office, covering the period 1760 to, approximately, 1890, have been destroyed as wastepaper; could he give details of the records so destroyed and say whether agreement was given, prior to their destruction, by the Master of the Rolls?

Mr. Morrison

The records to which the hon. Member refers are in the category of documents which under the standing authority of the Master of the Rolls may be destroyed after 30 years. They are miscellaneous in character and I could not give details.