THE Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been criticised for “inexcusable” delays in deciding whether an MI5 report about the Troubles can finally be made public.

The watchdog was asked 16 months ago to review whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) was legally entitled to withhold a historic report relating to undercover tactics used against the IRA.

The commissioner has still not reached a decision, angering academics, who say freedom-of-information laws should let them see the document, which is now almost half a century old.