§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what categories of public documents and records withheld from public inspection and research for periods longer than 30 years have been made available to students since 1st January 1970.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonHome Office records withheld from public inspection which have been made available since 1st January 1970 to students and others engaged on research were listed in Class HO 144 (Correspondence and papers, domestic and general: registered papers, supplementary), Class HO 156 (Entry216W books, vivisection: out-letters of, or concerning, the grant of licences), HO 162 (Entry books, Aliens Restriction: out-letters relating to the working of the Aliens Act 1905), and Class PCOM 2 (Prison Books: Registers of prisoners, photograph albums, minute, visitors' and other books of certain prisons).
§ Mr. NewensThe Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have applied for access to public documents and records not available for public inspection and research, after being held for periods longer than 30 years, since 1st January 1970; and how many of these applications have been approved.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonThe number of applications for access to public documents not available for public inspection dealt with by the Home Office since 1st January 1970 is 42. Of these, 27 have been granted.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what categories of public records and documents have been withheld from public inspection and research for periods longer than 50 years, 75 years and 100 years, respectively;
(2) what are the grounds on which he deems it expedient to withhold public records and documents from public inspection and research for periods longer than 30 years;
(3) what categories of public records and documents are not made available for public inspection and research after 30 years.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonThe grounds on which Home Office records, like those of other Departments, are withheld from public inspection for more than 30 years are:
- 1. That they are exceptionally sensitive papers, the disclosure of which would be contrary to the public interest whether on security or other grounds;
- 2. That they are documents containing information supplied in confidence, the disclosure of which would or might constitute a breach of faith; and
- 3. That they are documents containing information about individuals, the disclosure of which would cause distress
217 or embarrassment to living persons or their immediate descendants. The actual period of closure in a particular case depends on the nature of the material in question. No records are closed for longer than 100 years.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a detailed list of the public documents and records at present preserved in Section H.O.144 of the Public Record Office.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonNo. To give detailed lists of the contents of closed material would thwart the whole object of keeping them closed.