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<p>The FCO is unable to collate these estimates of file destruction within the timescale
provided without incurring disproportionate cost.</p><p>The FCO, as with all government
departments, reviews all its files in line with the requirements of the Public Records
Act before making a decision on permanent preservation. This applies to all files
from the 1970s and 1980s relating to Sri Lanka which the FCO has already reviewed
under the Act.</p><p>Selection of such records for permanent preservation took place
under the guidance and supervision of The National Archives.</p><p>The Public Records
Act does not require departments to preserve files if they are of no long-term historical
value. For instance, the FCO may destroy a file if it only contains administrative
or ephemeral content or because it only contains information which is already in the
public domain.</p>
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