HC Deb 11 May 1995 vol 259 c566W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the official definition of a state paper. [22935]

Mr. John M. Taylor

I understand the expression "State Papers" to signify those papers which are created or acquired by Ministers, officials or other Crown servants by virtue of the office they hold under, or their service to, the Crown. Whether or not the Crown can claim ownership of any wider class of papers will depend on the circumstances of the case.

Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in what circumstances state papers are permitted to be held in private hands. [22936]

Mr. John M. Taylor

State papers are normally held by the Crown. In very rare circumstances, they may be held in private hands, normally when permission has exceptionally been given to a former Minister or public servant to retain possession of them. Examples of such circumstances are given in part 1 of the report of the Committee of Privy Counsellors on Ministerial Memoirs, Cmnd 6386, also known as the Radcliffe committee.

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