§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
On whose instructions, and with what object, the Cabinet Secretary has ordered Birmingham University not to release the private papers of Neville Chamberlain for the year 1936 relating to the Abdication.
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone)In giving this reply, I should make it plain that, in accordance with the custom of the House, I am replying on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, since the Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible for Public Records and not private papers. The answer to the noble Lord's question is as follows. In 1967 under Section 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958 the then Lord Chancellor approved 351WA a proposal that public records relating to the Abdication of King Edward VIII should be closed for 100 years—ie, until 2nd January 2037—on the grounds that their disclosure could cause distress to members of the Royal Family. The holders of the private papers of certain people who had held high ministerial office and had been closely involved in those events at that time, including the late Mr. Neville Chamberlain, were, for the same reasons, asked not to release for public inspection material from those papers relating to the Abdication. When in 1974 this request was first made to the University of Birmingham in respect of Mr. Chamberlain's papers, they were asked and agreed to keep entries in Mr. Chamberlain's diary relating to the Abdication closed for 100 years. In subsequent correspondence two years later, the university was told that the approval of the Lord Chancellor at that time had been given to a 50-year closure in respect of such public records. This was not correct, and when the mistake came to light earlier this year it was drawn to the university's attention by the Cabinet Office, and they were asked, and agreed, to keep the material closed for 100 years, in accordance with the original agreement.