The listserv having been rather quiet on the subject of both last Friday's
announcements, of the merger of the HMC and the PRO to form the National
Archives, and that DCMS has asked Lord Evans to chair an Archives Taskforce,
I would like to welcome both moves on behalf of the National Council on
Archives. We rarely get Ministerial announcements about archives, and I
cannot remember one that is likely to have such a major impact on the
archival landscape. 
The HMC/PRO merger comes about as the result of a quinquennial review of the
HMC (all Government bodies undergo these reviews to confirm the continuing
need for their existence, and their efficiency and effectiveness) in 2001.
The review concluded that although the functions of the HMC needed to
continue, their performance by an independent organisation was not the most
efficient or effective way of providing them. Various options were
considered for the future of the functions, but the option chosen, of
amalgamation with the PRO into a new organisation, will have a number of
significant advantages. Moreover, I understand that the new organisation
will have the combined budget of the two predecessor bodies, ensuring that
the efficiency savings arising from the move accrue to the archives world
and not to the Treasury.
The creation of the National Archives will have the following advantages:-
1. Although the merger can be brought about in practice by ministerial
directive, I believe there will need to be legislation to formally end the
legal status of the HMC. This provides a further imperative for the proposed
National Archives Bill, and makes it more likely that Parliamentary time
will be found for this Bill.
2. There will be a single body with clear responsibility for national
archival policy across the public and private sectors, for the first time.
This surely means that archives will have a stronger voice in Government.
The National Archives will have a clearer remit to work with and actively
support other public sector archives than the PRO has had in the past. The
HMC and PRO inspection regimes will be brought together and made more
effective (the National Archives Bill, when it comes, should also give them
more teeth). The nature of the relationship between the National Archives
and Resource: the Council for Museums, Archives & Libraries has yet to
emerge, but I am sure there is commitment on both sides to arrive at a clear
division of responsibility. The Archives Taskforce will give them experience
of working together, and help to ensure that there is a clear common agenda.
3. The desire to ensure the viability of the National Archives Network has
been a key driver behind the decision to give the new body the full budget
of its predecessors. The efficiency savings from combining the two bodies
could and should go a long way towards making the Network sustainable. It
will also be possible to ensure that the information resource contained in
the National Register of Archives is fully and effectively integrated into
the developing National Network. In this context, it is particularly good
news that DCMS will fund the replacement of the HMC computer system in the
near future.
The announcement in the House of Lords on Friday included reference to the
fact that the Minister had asked Lord Evans (Chairman, Resource) to chair an
Archives Task Force 'to examine the general state of archives in the UK'.
Lord Evans has previously chaired similar studies of the future of library
and museum services, which resulted in the reports New Library - the
People's Network and Renaissance in the Regions. The first has levered £270m
into UK libraries and the second proposes investment of up to £500m in UK
museums; we shall find out as the detail of the comprehensive spending
review unfolds how successful it has been! The Archives Task Force is
intended to map out the future strategic role of archive services in the UK,
and look at the funding needs of these services if they are to meet these
objectives. It is likely that the final report of the Task Force (due next
summer) will call for large-scale investment in archives. If it has the
impact of the parallel documents for libraries and museums, it too has the
potential to transform the landscape we are operating in for the better.
Rarely can there have been a more momentous day for archives in the UK.  I
for one have written to congratulate the minister on making such a positive
announcement for the profession, and I would encourage anyone else who
shares my view to do so too; we all know how welcome a little praise is from
our user community!
Nick Kingsley 
Chairman, National Council on Archives 




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