§ Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General what proportion of papers, considered worthy of preservation, are retained by Government Departments for periods in excess of 30 years for administrative purposes or other special reasons.
§ The Attorney-GeneralDepartments may, subject to the Lord Chancellor's approval, retain 30-year-old records under the provisions of section 3(4) of the Public Records Act 1958. Details of the categories of papers retained under these provisions are given in a leaflet for readers to be issued shortly by the Public Record Office. I am sending a copy of the final draft of this leaflet to the hon. Member and I shall place a further copy in the Library.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Attorney-General if he will list the categories of papers considered worthy of preservation 453W which are normally retained by Government Departments for periods in excess of 30 years for administrative purposes or other special reasons.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThis varies widely between Departments, but the overall proportion is estimated to be no more than 1 per cent. of all records selected for permanent preservation in any one year.