The independent team appointed by the Prime Minister to review the 30-Year Rule has today published its report. Copies are available in the Vote Office, Printed Paper Office and the Libraries of the both Houses.

The Government welcome the report and are grateful to Paul Dacre, Sir Joe Pilling and Professor Sir David Cannadine for producing this comprehensive and detailed report.

The Government will respond to its recommendations in due course, but agrees that there should be a substantial reduction in the period after which official papers should generally be released to the public, and that this should be introduced on a phased basis.

I will make a further announcement to the House once the Government have prepared its detailed response to the report.