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Last updated: 06 May 2009
Cabinet Committee papers and minutes are classified documents. Their classification depends on their subject matter and most Committee papers are classified Restricted.
Where the classification is Confidential or above, the Secretariat is responsible for distributing them to named individuals as numbered paper copies. These must not be copied. Extra copies can be requested from the Secretariat if needed.
Where the papers are classified as Restricted the papers will be placed on Cabcom by the Secretariat. Cabcom is an electronic database which can be accessed by other departments. It holds useful information about the times and locations of meetings as well as copies of Committee agendas, papers and minutes. The Economic and Domestic Secretariat manage this system.
Nearly all departments have access to Cabcom although each will only be able to see the Committees of which their Ministers are members.
Each department has a Cabinet Documents Officer (CDO) who is in charge of managing and distributing Cabinet Committee papers and minutes, whether they arrive by paper copy or are posted on Cabcom. This official usually sits in the Secretary of State's Office.
Once agendas, Committee papers or minutes are received, the CDO must distribute these to the relevant policy officials without delay. Cabcom has an inbuilt function which allows CDOs to build up distribution lists for each Committee and email documents across to the relevant officials.
Where the papers are classified as Committee Members Only (CMO) the papers can also be placed on Cabcom but special rules apply.
There is a Handbook for the Cabinet Documents Officer which provides full instructions on the role of the CDO and on the layout, reproduction and control of all classifications of Cabinet papers and minutes. This handbook is available on Cabcom and is included here for interest.
> Cabinet Documents Officers' Handbook [PDF 73KB, 21 pages]