§ Mr. ByersTo ask the President of the Board of Trade who ordered the destruction of the records of export licence applications for goods on the military list made during the years(a) 1980, (b) 1981, (c) 1982, (d) 1983, and (e) 1984. [39285]
§ Mr. Nelson[holding answer 25 October 1995]: The public records, Board of Trade eighth schedule, submitted to both Houses of Parliament in June 1950, gave notice in the disposal schedule for all export licence application papers to be automatically destroyed after six years. The Public Records Act 1958 removed the need to comply with this schedule, but the then Board of Trade continued to follow the practice of destruction after six years. This continued until July 1991 when it was decided not to destroy any existing application papers. That practice has continued to date.