Dear Colleagues

 

As you may be aware, the Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport is currently holding an inquiry into museum and archive collections entitled 'Caring for our Collections'.  In particular the Inquiry is considering funding, acquisition and disposal, and the effectiveness of bodies such as DCMS and MLA.  The NCA gave evidence before the Inquiry yesterday.

 

To help inform the MPs on the Inquiry the NCA is seeking to set up visits to archives.  The Clerk to the Inquiry has recommended that we do this on a constituency basis.  Consequently, I would be very grateful to hear from any archive body which would be willing to host a visit and has some link to the MPs' constituencies (listed below).  The purpose of the visit is to make the MPs aware of the work we do, the issues we face but also the successes we have had.  It would also be a good opportunity to show how archives serve their communities.

 

The MPs on the Inquiry are:

 

John Whittingdale OBE and Chairman, Maldon & East Chelmsford, Cons

Janet Anderson, Rossendale and Darwen, Lab

Philip Davies, Shipley,Cons

Nigel Evans, Ribble Valley, Cons

Paul Farrelly, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Lab

Mike Hall, Weaver Valley, Lab (a visit is already arranged to Cheshire and Chester RO)

Alan Keen, Feltham and Heston, Lab

Rosemary McKenna, Cumbernauld & Kilsyth & Kirkintilloch East, Lab

Adam Price, Carmarthen East & Dinefwr, Plaid Cymru

Adrian Sanders, Torbay, Lib Dem

Helen Southworth, Warrington South, Lab

 

If you could get in touch  with me by close of business on Tues 7 Nov I would be grateful.  Do email me if you have any further questions.

 

With thanks

 

Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan

Director of Publicity and Communications

National Council on Archives