§ Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General if he will list those categories of records which cannot be made available for public scrutiny and research at any date under section 5(2) of the Public Records Act 1958; and if he will state the criteria which have been established for disposing of them.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General which categories of records which cannot be made available for public research and scrutiny at any date under the Public Records Act are scheduled to be destroyed.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General if he will introduce legislation to make those records, which are at present statute barred, available for research purposes after an appropriate period of years has elapsed; and if he will re-examine the criteria at present established for dealing with such records, with a view to making depersonalised information contained within them available after 30 years.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe Government are currently considering the subject of such records as part of their examination of the Wilson committee's report.
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§ Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General if he will re-examine the system employed to indicate which categories of public records have not been released for public scrutiny and research, with the object of ensuring that the maximum amount of information possible on the extent and nature of records over 30 years old which are not available, and the reasons for withholding them, is provided.
The Solicitor-GeneralThis is currently under consideration in connection with the Wilson committee report.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General if he has yet come to any conclusions about the recommendations of the committee on public records chaired by Sir Duncan Wilson; and what procedure he proposes to adopt to announce any conclusions that he reaches in due course and to facilitate their discussion.
The Solicitor-GeneralNo conclusions have yet been reached, and it would therefore be premature to prejudge the form which an announcement will take. In the meantime, the Lord Chancellor has invited comments on the recommendations, which should be sent to his Department before the end of June.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General whether he intends to make any changes in the role of the Advisory Council on Public Records, in the light of the Wilson committee recommendations; and if he will make a statement.
The Solicitor-GeneralThe Lord Chancellor has invited comments on these recommendations, which should be sent to his Department before the end of June. Any decision will be made in the light of these comments.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General if he will list all those categories of records at present held by Government Departments or for which they are ultimately responsible which are not classified as public records.
The Solicitor-GeneralIn general, all records of, or held in, Government Departments are public records. The exceptions are listed in paragraph 2(2) of schedule 1 to the Public Records Act 1958.