Thousands Of Papers On Nuclear Weapons Pulled From National Archives

[OneWingedBird]

I have no idea what this is about - anyone else have any ideas?

Thousands of national archive files on Britain’s atomic and nuclear weapons energy programs have been withdrawn from public view by order of the UK government without any explanation, alarming academics.

Researchers reported that the documents, dating from 1939 to the 1980s, were unexpectedly withdrawn by the National Archives last week. The files relate to, among other subjects, the creation of Britain’s first nuclear bombs and the private papers of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist who split the atomic nucleus, Sir John Cockcroft.

https://www.rt.com/uk/447293-nuclear-weapons-archive-atomic/

 

[markrkingston1]

If the article is taken at face value (remember that this is Russia Today, a Russian government propaganda operation), it could be seen as odd.

I read the RT article and it suggested that sensitive data could have been had been previously overlooked and I suppose that that could be plausible but it's still not very likely, really, as far as I can see.

I have to say that, on the balance of probabilities as I see it, there is probably no significance in this at all. If records are marked as "temporarily retained" it could mean anything in practice, including, perhaps, that they have been accessed for viewing by a governmental client. In that respect, it might make sense that the NDA wanted to look at the documents in connection with their work.

Give it a few weeks and it will be interesting to see if the docs have been returned and are again available for public viewing. I bet RT won't report on it if they are, though.

 

[Coal]

It might be as simple as that there was information in there that might assist those wanting to make something terrible, even something as mundane as potential locations for low grade nuclear waste.

 

[ramonmercado]

It might be as simple as that there was information in there that might assist those wanting to make something terrible, even something as mundane as potential locations for low grade nuclear waste.

If it's that then fine, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's to cover up government cover ups of accidents etc.

 

[Yithian]

If I had to make a guess about what was going on, given that I have some small experience with National Archive papers, it would be that somebody on the intelligence services' watchlist was either arrested and found to be in possession of either photographic copies (cameras are permitted and common in reading rooms), or downloaded copies of certain nuclear files (although not everything is available for download), or a suspicious individual has been observed physically requesting files from TNA at Kew, and they've take the precaution of withdrawing the entire category for review.

Interesting that the article uses the phrase 'retained'. This could be clumsy journalism. The standard procedure is that files come up for release after--say thirty years (it differs)--and the presupposition is that they will be released unless there is a specific reason for their retention--usually by the government department that holds them or that (often) inherited them from a since-extinct government body. Could it be that they are saying the papers due for release were retained--if so, this is very common. To take only my own fields of study, I've bumped into retained files I'd like to view that cover MI6 and military intelligence planning against Communist China in 1949-50, counter-insurgency reports from Malaya and Cyprus in the early-to-mid 50s and internal policing in Kenya and the Canal Zone. Common reasons (not that they are routinely given) are that their release would prejudice current relationships or inflame sensitivities.

I am getting the whiff or loose journalism, but I'm prepared to be proved wrong.

Edit: better report here. I'm going with my first guess. It sounds as if they were available but now withdrawn:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...r-archive-files-withdrawn-without-explanation

 

[EnolaGaia]

It could be as simple as basic archival housekeeping ...

The RT article cites the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) as the agency involved in the document retention.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/nuclear-decommissioning-authority#content

The NDA maintains a massive set of records relating to past and current decommissioning projects, and these records are updated and / or purged on a recurrent basis:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nda-records-retention-schedule

It might be that the nuclear-related collections at the National Archives were 'frozen' offline pending a round of purges and updates involving NDA records.

 

[EnolaGaia]

There's another possible explanation. The National Archives will be launching a 'Cold War season' series of events and exhibits in April 2019:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...nounces-cold-war-season-launching-april-2019/

Perhaps all the nuclear / atomic archives were 'frozen' to facilitate developing materials for these upcoming events.

 

[Yithian]

It could be as simple as basic archival housekeeping ...

The RT article cites the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) as the agency involved in the document retention.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/nuclear-decommissioning-authority#content

The NDA maintains a massive set of records relating to past and current decommissioning projects, and these records are updated and / or purged on a recurrent basis:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nda-records-retention-schedule

It might be that the nuclear-related collections at the National Archives were 'frozen' offline pending a round of purges and updates involving NDA records.

A spokeswoman for the National Archives said: “We have been asked to temporarily withdraw these records, which is why they now appear on our catalogue as ‘access under review’.​

Suggests an outside body has made the request.

As you can see, and in contrast to my earlier speculation, these are files that have been released (many of them years ago) and are only now being withdrawn.

 

[markrkingston1]

^^^ Interesting. One can only wonder at what sensitive information could possible be left in such files. I wonder if its personal information relating to someone alive and identifiable.

In other news, the latest 'Modernising Defence Programme' review[1] for the MOD (published 18th December) makes reference to the need to increase ammunition stockpiles. But there's no explanation of why this would be needed in the medium term. It's an odd reference.

I include this simply for the element of conspiracy synchronicity.



Footnote:-
1: https://www.gov.uk/government/consu...defence-programme-public-consultation#history