§ Mr. LivingstoneTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in reviewing and releasing the records of the Joint Intelligence Committee under the initiative announced on 25 June 1992; what are the locations within the Public Record Office of records which have been released; which years are covered by records which have been released; what records are now planned to be reviewed for release; and if he will make a statement. [28038]
§ Mr. FreemanGood progress has been made with reviewing and releasing the records of the Joint Intelligence Committee—JIC—since my right hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave), then the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced on 25 June 1992 that JIC papers would in future not be covered by a blanket ban on release, but treated like all other Government records and released after 30 years unless the contents remained sensitive.
JIC minutes and memorandums for the years 1936 to 1950 have been reviewed. Those found to be no longer sensitive have been released in the Public Record Office—PRO—, Kew with the following class references—CAB 56/1–7, CAB 81/87–138, CAB 159/1–8, CAB 158/1–11.
113WPost-1950 records are currently under review. Releasable records for the years 1951 to 1953 will be transferred to the PRO in early 1997. It is expected that the JIC records will continue to be released in three-year tranches every year until the review has been completed.