Other missing files concern the British colonial administration in Palestine, tests on polio vaccines and long-running territorial disputes between the UK and Argentina. The foreign office subsequently told the national archives that the papers taken were nowhere to be found. The foreign office declined to say why it had taken the papers, or whether it had copies. The national archives says Whitehall departments are strongly encouraged to promptly return them, but they are not under any obligation to do so. “The national archives regularly sends lists to government departments of files that they have out on loan,” a spokesperson said.

Source: The Irish Times December 26, 2017 16:41 UTC