Written question asked by Baroness Henig (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Bach (Labour) on Tuesday, 23 February 2010.

National Archives

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the views of professional users of Britain's archives are reflected in the management of the National Archives and that senior managers there have professional archival qualifications.

Answer: The National Archives has a wide range of users, including the public, information management professionals, academics and professional researchers and regularly invites feedback from them on its activities. This is done through a range of consultative mechanisms across the range of services it offers, including a monthly user forum and online user advisory panel, details of which can be found on the National Archives website. The National Archives has recently commissioned a review of the ways in which it engages with users. Additionally, the Advisory Council, a statutory independent group chaired by the Master of the Rolls, provides formal advice on public access to records and the care of archives and manuscripts to the Lord Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Justice and the Chief Executive of The National Archives. The National Archives has a broad remit covering all aspects of knowledge and information management, and the range of skills and qualifications of its senior management team reflects this. Senior managers within the organisation are qualified archivists, information managers, teachers, librarians, and human resources and finance professionals.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 2037; 717 c287-8WA
Session: 2009-10
Subjects: Archives Qualifications Public consultation Managers National Archives
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk