Review of nuclear archive records - January 2021
Updated 17 January 2024
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The review is being conducted in 5 stages. Stage 1 has been completed, and work has been undertaken on stages 2 and 3 concurrently. However work on stages 2 and 3 of the review is now paused due to the current COVID-19 restrictions.
Stage 1 was based on two file series deemed unlikely to contain relevant information. The majority of files reviewed in this stage were identified for re-release, and a small number of files have been identified for more in-depth review at stages 4 and 5.
Stage 2 is a review of selected records in terms of original classification and stage 3 is based on reviewing records by their date of creation. Once these stages are complete, we expect to be able to re-release a large number of files. The remaining files will be subject to further scrutiny in stages 4 and 5, which will be commenced once Stages 2 and 3 are complete.
Please note that until stages 2 and 3 of the review are complete, MOD is not in a position to know whether specific files will need to be part of the final in-depth review. Therefore, MOD will not at this stage be able to confirm the status of review in respect of an individual file.
Stages 4 and 5 involve in-depth review of the remaining files and due to the nature of the work this is anticipated to take longer than the previous stages.
Withdrawn files and Freedom of Information requests
Under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act (the Act) 2000, you are still entitled to request access to files currently under review. However, due to the unprecedented number of FOI requests placing disproportionate burden on the Ministry of Defence and the public interest in the completion of the review, any request will have to be considered against the burden criteria under Section 14(1) of the Act.
The application of Section 14(1) of the Act will remain under continuous assessment and evaluation by MOD during the file review process to evaluate the impact of examining the contents of the withdrawn files and the level of burden placed upon the Department.