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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