§ Mr.CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the operation of his Department's sensitive documents unit; how many staff are employed in its operation; and approximately how many documents per annum come within its purview.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydForeign and Commonwealth Office records are reviewed for any continuing sensitivity 29 or 30 years after their creation, by a team of up to nine part-time senior retired members of the diplomatic service, supervised and supported by seven permanent officials in the library and records department. Approximately 650 ft of records have been reviewed this year, in accordance with the guidelines contained in chapter 9 of the "Open Government" White paper—Cm. 2290—of July 1993.