§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many papers his Department has currently withdrawn from the Public Record Office; if he will list their titles; and when he estimates that they will be returned.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonAs at 6 November 1992, some 1,697 pieces were on loan to the Ministry of Defence. It is not possible to list the title of each without disproportionate cost.
The MOD, like all Government Departments, has a statutory right, under the Public Records Act, to retrieve records temporarily from the Public Record Office for its own administrative use. Records which are in the public domain but on loan to the MOD are returned as soon as departmental action has been completed. There are well established procedures to ensure that the public continues to have access whilst the records are on loan.