The Secret Special Branch Ledgers

[Archaic]

There is a specific time limit before you can make a new application which I think off the top of my head is 3 years and besides no point in putting an application in until you have the ammunition

Sounds like they deliberately headed you off at the pass.

But there should be at least a chance they digitized or otherwise copied the ledgers. After all, they had to have had a good reason to preserve them for 127 years. Why not 128 years, or 150 years?

Maybe they want to be able to say they're physically destroyed in order to keep the contents confidential?

Though I find the argument regarding "protecting the families of informants" to be rather sketchy after such a long time.

Archaic

[Bridewell]

I recently made a new and revised freedom of information request to The Metropolitan Police.This request was based on new facts and new evidence which was not before the original tribunal.

I have today received the following reply :

"Following the tribunals you have mentioned the ledgers.registers were destroyed in line with the retention policy that the documents were to be retained for a period of two years after the last request to view the ledgers which expired 18 November 2013. As the ledger/registers were deemed to be of no policing purpose and the National Archives did not wish to hold the ledgers they were destroyed on 6th January 2014.

www.trevormarriott.co.uk

That stinks. The records served no policing purpose and the National Archives did not want them - fine. The holders though, knew that they were of interest to a retired police officer who wished to view them. So why destroy them without giving him the chance to see for himself that there was nothing there of any interest? Keep them for two years after the last request to view, knowing that a further request cannot be made for three? Some might think that deliberately obstructive.

[Trevor Marriott]

Having said that Bummer.

You must be gutted Trevor.

Yes I felt this time I had all the answers and more

[Trevor Marriott]

It does seem very strange that the government would carefully preserve these ledgers for 127 years, only to destroy them now.

Thanks for your efforts, Trevor.

Archaic

PS: Any chance they photographed/digitized the ledgers before destroying them?

No there was no need for them to do so.

[Trevor Marriott]

I'm not being critical, of Trevor or anyone else, but it just shows the importance of knowing the rules and time limits when dealing with Govt instrumentalities.

There is a specific time limit before you can make a new application which I think off the top of my head is 3 years and besides no point in putting an application in until you have the ammunition

[Archaic]

It does seem very strange that the government would carefully preserve these ledgers for 127 years, only to destroy them now.

Thanks for your efforts, Trevor.

Archaic

PS: Any chance they photographed/digitized the ledgers before destroying them?

[GUT]

Having said that Bummer.

You must be gutted Trevor.

[GUT]

I'm not being critical, of Trevor or anyone else, but it just shows the importance of knowing the rules and time limits when dealing with Govt instrumentalities.

[Phil Carter]

That's what I call destroying history.

Very very sad news indeed. You worked tirelessly on this Trevor.

They didn't even offer them to the Met police Crime museum.

Shocked.



Phil

[Trevor Marriott]

History Lost Forever

I recently made a new and revised freedom of information request to The Metropolitan Police.This request was based on new facts and new evidence which was not before the original tribunal.

I have today received the following reply :

"Following the tribunals you have mentioned the ledgers.registers were destroyed in line with the retention policy that the documents were to be retained for a period of two years after the last request to view the ledgers which expired 18 November 2013. As the ledger/registers were deemed to be of no policing purpose and the National Archives did not wish to hold the ledgers they were destroyed on 6th January 2014.

https://www.trevormarriott.co.uk

[auspirograph]

Wikileaks Superhero

This looks like a job for that Wikileaks guy.

Yes, you might have a point there Stephen, if the reluctance of British authorities to release documents that the National Archives described as "...of no historical value" is any indication.

Well said...

[Stephen Thomas]

This looks like a job for that Wikileaks guy.

[Phil H]

Anyone who shows the initiative to ask for information will have a slight advantage in time. But my understanding is that if you were to ask for the same information that has been released to trvor to be released to you, the authority (in terms of the FOI Act) would have to comply.

Phil

[auspirograph]

Fair enough Chris. I am aware of the efforts of Butterworth, Marriott and others to gain access. By exclusive I meant first rights.

[Phil H]

I can confirm that material released under FOI is, by definition available to anyone else who makes a request to see it. In my job, I deal with such requests frequently.

Phil