§ Lord Callaghan of Cardiffasked Her Majesty's Government:
To confirm that Section 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958 as amended is still observed, and if so, whether the Lord Chancellor has received a request to publish certain documents relating to British policy overseas for the period 1968–1975, and on what date he prescribed the appropriate period.
§ The Lord ChancellorSection 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958, as amended in 1967, is the section that provides for the 30-year rule. It is still observed. It applies to public records in the Public Record Office, other than those to which the public had access before their transfer to the Public Record Office. Access to records not yet transferred is a matter for the department concerned. The documents relating to British policy overseas that it is proposed to publish are not yet in the Public Record Office, and there is no requirement under the Public Records Act for me to prescribe any period for them to be published.