Inquiry Chair Justice Goddard has just published guidance on the destruction of documents relating to child sexual abuse, as held by Government and other agencies.
She has written to Whitehall, Religious Leaders, the Police, the NHS and heads of Local Authorities. You can read the letters here.
The guidance is quite broad and requires each department or body to refrain from destroying documents that could offer vital clues and direction to the Inquiry itself.
The inquiry website offers this helpful introduction to the measure:
“On announcing the statutory Inquiry, the Home Secretary requested a moratorium on the destruction of material. Today (23rd June) the Inquiry sent out further guidance on the detail of what may or may not be destroyed across Government and by other agencies.
These letters have been sent to both the Cabinet Secretary and other relevant organisations setting out categories of documentation that must be kept pending further requests from the Inquiry.”
The most up to date Terms of Reference for the Inquiry can also be read here.