Freedom of information request
Audit trail concerning the location of HO 45/25408
- Freedom of information request reference
- CAS-336350
- Request resolved
Request
I am writing to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in connection with academic historical research concerning Dorothy Pamela O'Grady, also known as Pamela Arland and Dorothy Pamela Squires.
I understand that The National Archives has previously investigated the whereabouts of file HO 45/25408 and concluded that the file remains missing after being misplaced while on loan to a government department. I also understand that the catalogue description for HO 45/25408 states:
"TREASON: O'GRADY, Dorothy Pamela, alias SQUIRES, Dorothy Pamela ... (sub-files 356772/1-23 missing at transfer)."
I am not seeking a further search for HO 45/25408 itself. Instead, I am seeking information about surviving records relating to the file, its transfer, its provenance, and the missing sub-files referred to in the catalogue description.
Specifically, I would be grateful if you could confirm whether The National Archives holds any of the following:
1. Transfer documentation, accession records, transfer schedules, or deposit records relating to HO 45/25408.
2. Any records identifying or describing the missing sub-files referenced as 356772/1-23, including file titles, covering dates, indexes, summaries, registry entries, schedules, or descriptions.
3. File movement records, loan records, tracking records, DORIS entries, or other administrative records identifying:
- when HO 45/25408 was loaned;
- the government department to which it was loaned;
- when it was reported missing; or
- any subsequent efforts to locate it.
4. Catalogue preparation records, cataloguing notes, file cover information, abstracts, précis, or summaries created from HO 45/25408 before it was reported missing.
5. Any surviving surrogate copies, extracts, transcripts, microfilm, photographs, scans, photocopies, or other reproductions of any part of HO 45/25408.
6. Any records indicating whether material from HO 45/25408 or sub-files 356772/1-23 was transferred, copied, extracted, incorporated into, or cross-referenced within other files held by The National Archives.
7. Any records identifying the originating department, registry series, or file registration system associated with reference 356772 and its sub-files.
If some of the information requested falls outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act, I would be grateful if this request could also be treated as a request for assistance under Section 16 of the Act, and that I be advised of any surviving records, file references, or catalogue entries that may assist further research into this matter.
This request is made solely for academic and historical research purposes concerning the wartime prosecution and imprisonment of Dorothy Pamela O'Grady.
Outcome
Some information provided.
Response
I can confirm that The National Archives holds some information relevant to your request and we are pleased to be able to provide this information to you. We are unable to provide some information as it is not held by The National Archives.
A small amount of information has been withheld as it is exempt under section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Your request and our response
Specifically, I would be grateful if you could confirm whether The National Archives holds any of the following:
1. Transfer documentation, accession records, transfer schedules, or deposit records relating to HO 45/25408.
Information held relating to the transfer of HO 45/25408 can be found within the file PRO 57/5295, which lists the accessioning of this file in 1985 as part of the transfer of files HO 45/25402-25688, which were originally closed for 50 years under LCI 71, with a closed description. To note, PRO 57/5295 does not contain any references to HO 45/25408 individually, or any information relating to its subfolders.
Registered papers: HO 45 | The National Archives
2. Any records identifying or describing the missing sub-files referenced as 356772/1-23, including file titles, covering dates, indexes, summaries, registry entries, schedules, or descriptions.
Information not held
3. File movement records, loan records, tracking records, DORIS entries, or other administrative records identifying:
- when HO 45/25408 was loaned;
- the government department to which it was loaned;
- when it was reported missing; or
- any subsequent efforts to locate it.
We can confirm that HO 45/25408 was recalled by the Home Office in late 2005 for departmental review ahead of the pending opening date of 1st Jan 2006.
Communications took place between The National Archives and the Home Office in 2007 in an attempt to establish the location of the document. Home Office records indicated that the file was returned to TNA in 2006. However The National Archives have no corresponding record of receiving the file back. This unsuccessful search led to the document status being changed to ‘missing at transfer’ in 2007. A redacted PDF of this information is available upon request, by emailing our team.
The National Archives ensures that the transferring body carries out a comprehensive search before accepting that a record will be catalogued as “Missing at transfer”. Each document is listed as misfiled only after a dedicated search has been completed.
Further information regarding documents listed as missing can be found on our website.
4. Catalogue preparation records, cataloguing notes, file cover information, abstracts, précis, or summaries created from HO 45/25408 before it was reported missing.
Information not held
5. Any surviving surrogate copies, extracts, transcripts, microfilm, photographs, scans, photocopies, or other reproductions of any part of HO 45/25408.
Information not held
6. Any records indicating whether material from HO 45/25408 or sub-files 356772/1-23 was transferred, copied, extracted, incorporated into, or cross-referenced within other files held by The National Archives.
Information not held
7. Any records identifying the originating department, registry series, or file registration system associated with reference 356772 and its sub-files.
Information not held
Annexe
Exemptions applied
Section 40(2): Personal Information where the applicant is not the data subject
Section 40 exempts personal information about a ‘third party’ (someone other than the requester), if revealing it would breach the terms of Data Protection Legislation. Data Protection Legislation prevents personal information from release if it would be unfair or at odds with the reason why it was collected, or where the subject had officially served notice that releasing it would cause them damage or distress. Personal information must be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner as set out by Art. 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
In this case the exemption applies because the requested material contains information which would identify junior members of staff.
Publishing the names and contact details of junior members of staff is considered an unfair use of personal data. Junior members of staff would have no expectation that information about their positions would be made available in the public domain; to do so would be unfair and contravene the first data protection principle of the Data Protection Act. As such, the names, positions and contact details of junior officials are withheld under section 40 (2) of the FOI Act.
Further guidance about the publication of junior staff names can be found on the ICO website.