The Bank of England has confirmed it is researching the financial risks of the UK leaving the EU after it "inadvertently" sent details of its work to a national newspaper.
A senior official sent an email about its confidential project on the issue to an editor at the Guardian newspaper.
A spokesman for the bank described the error as "unfortunate".
Prime Minister David Cameron has promised an in/out referendum on the UK's EU membership by the end of 2017.
Labour's shadow chancellor Chris Leslie called for "a full and informed debate, not clandestine processes shrouded from public view".
The Guardian reports that the email indicates a small group of senior staff are to examine the economic effects of the UK leaving the EU under the authority of Sir Jon Cunliffe, who is the deputy director for financial stability.
The email also spells out that should anyone ask about the project - codenamed Project Bookend - the taskforce should say it concerns "a broad range of European economic issues", and not make any reference to the forthcoming referendum.
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