Advisory Council on National Records and Archives (Triennial Review)
(Limited Text - Ministerial Extracts only)
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The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Chris Grayling)
On 17 July 2013, Official Report, column 112WS, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Mrs Grant), made a written statement announcing the triennial review of the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives. I am pleased to announce the conclusion of the review and publication of the report today.
The ACNRA is an independent advisory non-departmental public body which provides independent advice to the Lord Chancellor on matters relating to records and archives in the United Kingdom, and in particular England and Wales. The functions of the ACNRA are written into statute in the Public Records Act 1958 section 1.2 and in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 schedule 5, which amends the Public Records Act.
The ACNRA, chaired by the Master of the Rolls, advises the Lord Chancellor on issues relating to public records that are over 30 years old under the Public Records Act (PRA) 1958, including access to them, under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000. From January 2013, following implementation of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, Government began a 10-year transition to a new “20-year rule”, with the previous 30-year rule being reduced progressively until the new rule is in effect. The ACNRA also advises on general policy issues linked to the public records system.
The triennial review has concluded that there remains a need for the ACNRA to continue its current functions, in its current form and that the current model offers good value for money. The review found that the case for retaining the ACNRA as an independent advisory NDPB is widely and strongly supported. The role played by the ACNRA in the public records system is an essential one and no other model for delivering the statutory duties of the ACNRA offers the same level of assurance to government and the public that these duties will be discharged independently, impartially and with consideration of the public interest as the primary concern.
The ACNRA meets all three of the tests set by the Government for the delivery of functions by an NDPB. The review has also found that the ACNRA may benefit from reviewing its recruitment processes and its reporting arrangements in respect of wider archives sector responsibilities, and has made recommendations to address these.
The triennial review has been carried out with the participation of a range of stakeholders and users, in addition to the ACNRA itself. The review was publicised on The National Archives’ website and stakeholders were invited to contributethrough a call for evidence and through meetings. In addition to the project board which oversaw the review, a critical friend group challenged the evidence used to make conclusions.
I am grateful to all who contributed to this triennial review. The final report has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.