§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 14 February,Official Report, column 550, whether copies of all letters from Ministers in his Department to local government leaders sent in (a) 1985, (b) 1986, (c) 1987, (d) 1988, (e) 1989 and (f) before March 1990 have now been destroyed. [15848]
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesThis could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 14 February,Official Report, column 550, if it is the practice of his Department to destroy all general correspondence after five years; and when this policy was introduced. [15849]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordMy Department's practice is to destroy files of general correspondence not later than five years after they have been closed. This practice accords with the provisions of the Public Records Act 1958 and with guidance from the Public Record Office.