UNRELEASED government documents relating to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster and Margaret Thatcher will be released by next June at the latest.

The Cabinet Office said it will release the files on June 30, 2012, if the Hillsborough independent panel has not already reported its findings by then. The Daily Post understands the panel is likely to report in May next year.

The schedule follows a compromise over the files between the Cabinet Office and the BBC which saw the Corporation drop its Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted in April, 2009.

It means the tribunal hearing scheduled to consider the Government’s appeal against disclosure in February next year will now be avoided.

The BBC accepted the settlement on the basis that it would only lead to a maximum delay of the information by just a few weeks.

It means the independent panel and Hillsborough support groups will see the information before the BBC and the public.

Margaret Aspinall, Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) chairman, said it was proper that information was released through the independent panel and then the families.

She said: “We have always said the information has got to go to the independent panel first and then to the families.

“If they released it to the BBC before the families, then that would be disappointing to us.

“The public will be informed after the families have been told.”