HC Deb 28 February 2000 vol 345 cc32-3W
Ms Atherton

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 February 2000,Official Report, column 607W, (1) if he will release the document containing individuals' names and medical records taken from the Nancekuke study; [111699]

(2) what factors underlay the decision taken in 1999 not to release the individuals' names and medical records contained within the study concerning illness at Nancekuke. [111701]

Dr. Moonie

The document requested is being withheld under Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Privacy of an Individual).

The document containing information on individuals' names and details of their medical records for the study of sickness and absenteeism among employees at Nancekuke is held by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) who decided not to release it as disclosure would breach those individuals' right to privacy. As required under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, due account was taken in reaching this decision of the nature of the information, the conditions under which it was supplied and the possible public interest in disclosure.

Ms Atherton

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 February 2000,Official Report, column 554W, what estimate he has made of the cost of identifying all archived files relating to defence activities at Nancekuke. [111700]

Dr. Moonie

Files are stored in the Ministry of Defence archives in a variety of means, generally, by date of review and, within that, by branch. This method of storage ensures that a systematic review programme, consistent with the procedures recommended by the Public Record Office, is in place. On review, records are assessed on the basis of continuing administrative and potential historical value. Records falling into the latter category are transferred into the custody of the Public Record Office and generally become available to researchers after 30 years, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Records Act, 1958 and 1967.

The volume of files under 30-years-old, their method of storage and the absence of thematic and computerised indexes would mean that the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.