Our takedown and reclosure policy describes the circumstances in which information in open records may be subsequently closed by The National Archives. It applies to records (including digital records) that have been transferred to The National Archives for preservation as archives.
Any records which are reclosed will have been carefully assessed by the Reclosure Panel composed of members of staff with expertise in Freedom of Information (FOI) and Data Protection, along with records and catalogue specialists from across The National Archives. The Reclosure Panel is chaired by the Director for Public Records Access and Government Services.
The National Archives publishes annual figures for records presented to the Reclosure Panel. The latest figures can be found below. See the web archive for figures prior to 2014.
Reclosure figures
- Reclosure figures 2024 (XLSX, 78 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2023 (XLSX, 52 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2022 (PDF, 137 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2021 (PDF, 340 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2020 (PDF, 360 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2019 (PDF, 300 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2018 (PDF, 300 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2017 (PDF, 140 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2016 (PDF, 56 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2015 (PDF, 218 KB)
- Reclosure figures 2014 (PDF, 134 KB)
Reclosure Panel minutes
Upcoming Panel meetings
- 29 May 2025
- 31 July 2025