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Iraq minutes 'should be released' Iraq minutes 'should be released'
(10 minutes later)
The government has been told to release the minutes of two cabinet meetings in the days before the 2003 Iraq war. The government has been told to release the minutes of two cabinet meetings in the days before the Iraq war.
The demand came from Information Commissioner Richard Thomas after a Freedom of Information request was rejected by the Cabinet Office.The demand came from Information Commissioner Richard Thomas after a Freedom of Information request was rejected by the Cabinet Office.
He said disclosure would "allow the public to more fully understand this particular decision of the cabinet".He said disclosure would "allow the public to more fully understand this particular decision of the cabinet".
The cabinet is thought to have debated the attorney general's advice on the legality of military action. The order refers to meetings on 7 and 17 March, 2003. The Cabinet Office can appeal against the decision.
The order refers to cabinet meetings held between 7 and 17 March, 2003. In his ruling, Mr Thomas says the minutes had to be released to help "transparency and public understanding of the relevant issues".
In his ruling, the information commissioner said the minutes had to be released to help "transparency and public understanding of the relevant issues".
He also says that accountabilty for the decisions made is "paramount".He also says that accountabilty for the decisions made is "paramount".
The person making the request said that not releasing the information created "a public impression that something not entirely truthful has been uttered".
But the Cabinet Office refused to release minutes on the grounds that the papers were exempt from disclosure as they related to the formulation of government policy and ministerial communications.
However, Mr Thomas ruled that, in this particular case, the public interest in disclosing the minutes outweighed the public interest in withholding the information.
He said he did not believe that disclosure would "necessarily" set a precedent in respect of other cabinet minutes.