Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 1 May 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 14 May 2002. It was answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 May 2002 on behalf of the Lord Chancellor's Department.

Lord Chancellors Dept

Question: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will arrange for the release to the Public Record Office of pre-1945 records relating to the Royal Family.

Answer: Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will arrange for the release to the Public Record Office of pre-1945 records relating to the Royal Family. [54671] Ms Rosie Winterton: The Open Government White Paper (Cm2290, July 1993) states that "Records relating to the Royal Family will be treated in the same way as all other records and only closed for longer than 30 years if they fall into one or more of the three criteria governing closure" (9.22). That practice still applies and the closure criteria used for public records relating to the Royal Family are therefore the same as for all other records. Any public record dating from before 1945 should now be open unless it is subject to one of the closure criteria, requiring a longer period of closure, in which case it will be re-reviewed when the closure period is due to come to an end.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 54671; 385 c593W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Disclosure of information Public records Royal family Public Record Office
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk