§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reason files relating to the work of the Nolan committee at the Public Record Office are currently closed; and if he will release these files into the public domain. [10407]
§ Mr. HoonTwo classes of records of the Committee on Standards in Public Life have been transferred to the Public Record Office.
283WThe first class—Public Record Office reference JN 2—consists of copies of written evidence submitted to the Committee, and is open to inspection, although evidence which concerned individual cases, or which has been found to be potentially defamatory, has been excluded.
As part of a pilot project to test the feasibility of archiving and making publicly available electronic records, a second class—JN 3—has been transferred to the Public Record Office in electronic form. Those of the records already in the public domain, in particular transcripts of public hearings, have been available in the Public Record Office since 9 May 1997. The other records transferred, including the minutes and papers of the committee, are currently subject to the 30-year rule under the normal provisions of the Public Records Acts. Access to closed records is in the first instance a matter for the Department concerned, in this case the committee.