Access history of FCO 8/1426/2

FOI request reference: CAS-92595-X7Z2K9
Publication date: November 2022

Request

I would like to make an FOIA request for an unredacted copy of this entire file, please.
Could you please tell me:
1. Was it due to be released in 2020 (after 50 years of closure)? I presume that the MoD requested/demanded an extension to its closure period, but could you please tell me if that was the case?
2. Could you also please provide any documents related to this file which were submitted by the MoD as part of the review process or which were generated within TNA as a result of it?
3. Could you also please provide a list of the reason(s) why the file was not released in 2021 (as scheduled)?
4. Was the file’s release ever delayed before (e.g. was it due to be released after 30 years and then blocked by the MoD, or after 40 years, etc)?
5. Could you please tell me the number of pages within the file and the number of pages marked with each level of security classification? I have asked for this information on other files and been granted it previously. See: MoD FOI 2022/06225.
Thank you.

Outcome

Some information provided.

Response

1. Was it due to be released in 2020 (after 50 years of closure)? I presume that the MoD requested/demanded an extension to its closure period, but could you please tell me if that was the case?

Each year The National Archives provides government departments with a list of records and extracts which are scheduled to open on New Year’s Day. This is referred to as the Security Report, which is run from The National Archives’ online catalogue, Discovery. This guidance describes how records should be handled following review by government departments.

In this instance, The National Archives notified the FCDO that FCO 8/1426/2 was scheduled to open in January 2021. More information about this can be found here:

https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-management/security-report-guidance-for-departments.pdf

Based on the Security Report, the FCDO approved an extension to the closure period of the record for an additional 10 years. For more information concerning rolling-ten closure periods please see our published guidance on closure periods:

https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-management/closure-periods.pdf

2. Could you also please provide any documents related to this file which were submitted by the MoD as part of the review process or which were generated within TNA as a result of it?

Please refer to the PDF attachment, which contains the closure schedule for FCO 8/1426/2, and part of a sensitivity checklist that relates to this record. Some of this information is withheld under section 36(2)(b) of the FOIA 2000.

https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/copy-of-cas-92595-closure-applications.pdf

3. Could you also please provide a list of the reason(s) why the file was not released in 2021 (as scheduled)?

The Security Report contains details of the record’s sensitivities. On the basis of this information the FCDO (and in turn the Advisory Council) approved an extension to the closure period. Details of the sensitivities that were reviewed by the FCDO are withheld under section 36(2)(b) of the FOIA 2000.

4. Was the file’s release ever delayed before (e.g. was it due to be released after 30 years and then blocked by the MoD, or after 40 years, etc)?

Yes, this file has received closure extensions from the FCDO in 2000, 2010 and 2020.

5. Could you please tell me the number of pages within the file and the number of pages marked with each level of security classification? I have asked for this information on other files and been granted it previously. See: MoD FOI 2022/06225.

This file is made up of 41 pages, including a contents page. These pages are organised into 11 separate folios. The number of pages marked with each level of security classification are as follows:

Confidential: 29
Secret: 4
Personal and Confidential: 4
No classification: 4