Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what agreement has been reached on the timetable for the further release of official Government documents relating to the period from 1997.

Government records are released in line with the requirements set out in the Public Records Act 1958 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Each department is responsible for complying with its obligations under this legislation.

Since 2013, Government departments have been transitioning to a ‘20-year rule’ – that is, transferring selected records 20 years after they were created. This is a reduction from 30 years. Under this transition, departments should be compliant with the 20-year timeframe by the end of 2022.