## Cataloguing Paper Records: Guidance For Government Departments

March 2017 

## © Crown Copyright 2017

You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/opengovernment-licence or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. Where we have identified any third-party copyright information, you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is available for download at nationalarchives.gov.uk 

## Contents

1 
Introduction 
...................................................................................................................... 
3 
2 
The importance of preparation, consultation and checking 
.................................................... 
5 
3 
Principles of cataloguing .................................................................................................... 
7 
4 
The seven levels of The National Archives' catalogue and the Archives' referencing system ... 
10 
5 
Order of pieces 
................................................................................................................ 
13 
6 
First date and Last date of pieces ...................................................................................... 
15 
7 
Scope/content of pieces: general approach to different types of records 
............................... 
18 
8 
Scope/content of pieces: accuracy and understandability 
.................................................... 
25 
9 
Scope/content of pieces: general style and conventions ...................................................... 
28 
10 
Scope/content of pieces: sensitive descriptions .................................................................. 
31 
11 
Public access conditions ................................................................................................... 
33 
12  
Former references 
............................................................................................................ 
36 
13 
Note field  ...................................................................................................................... 
37 
14 
Comments ...................................................................................................................... 
39 
15 
Related digital material .................................................................................................... 
41 
16 
Subseries level 
................................................................................................................. 
42 
17 
Subsubseries level 
............................................................................................................ 
44 
18 
Item level 
........................................................................................................................ 
45 
Examples of new cataloguing template ....................................................................................... 
49 

## 1 Introduction

1.1 
 
This guidance deals with cataloguing conventional paper records at the level of individual pieces 
(files, volumes, reports, etc.). It does not cover description of paper records at 'Department', 'Division' or 'Series' level, or the description of digital records. Guidance relating to digital transfers can be found on The National Archives' website. 
This guidance is an updated version of the guidance on cataloguing conventional records issued by 
The National Archives in 2012. It seeks to explain the new Cataloguing Template produced by The National Archives in 2017 and gives revised advice about the use of the Note field. 

 1.2 
After records at government departments and agencies have been selected for permanent preservation and reviewed for sensitivity, staff at government departments must catalogue the selected records. 
When the records are transferred, the catalogue descriptions are added to Discovery, The National Archives' catalogue. A huge number and wide variety of users (including UK civil servants, journalists, researchers, academics and members of the public) use this catalogue to find records of interest to them. 
The descriptions on Discovery must be accurate and understandable, so that they can be searched and browsed easily. Therefore, work done by government cataloguers must reach a standard acceptable to The National Archives before it can be 'signed off' by The National Archives' Transfer Advisers and the transfer of records can take place. 1.3 
This guidance is intended to give government cataloguers clear and simple advice about how to achieve the required standard. It concentrates on the key areas they need to know, and recommends methods that are easy and straightforward to adopt. Understanding and following this guidance will save government cataloguers from wasting time and effort. Transfer Advisers can also provide additional advice and guidance. 1.4 
Government cataloguers must use the Excel cataloguing template produced by The National Archives, available to download from The National Archives' website. The template is designed specifically to enable cataloguing data relating to individual pieces to be loaded onto The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery, where the public can view it. 
A new version of the template was issued in April 2017. It was updated with the following changes: 
 
Redundant columns have been deleted from the old template, namely: V (visibility); PLS (previous LCI series); PLN (previous LCI number); Ext (extract) 
 
Additional columns were added to the new template, namely: Comments and Related digital material 
 
The LS and LN columns were renamed 'C/R' (for Closed/Retained) and 'Schedule number' (i.e. Freedom of Information (FOI) or Retention Schedule number) 
 
The order of columns was changed to group related columns together more logically 
 
First and last dates can now be recorded in a simpler, user-friendly format 
 
 
The new template consists of the following columns: 

 
D 
Departmental lettercode 
S 
Series number 
SS 
Subseries number  
SSS 
Subsubseries number  
P 
Piece number 
I 
Item number  
First Date 
Start date of the record 
Last Date 
End date of the record 
Scope/Content Description of the contents of the record; a brief summary of its subject matter Former Ref 
Departmental code or number used for the record before it was assigned The National Archives' catalogue reference 
Closure 
Number of years the record is closed, or 'S' if retained under section 3(4), or 'T' if temporarily retained 
C/R 
FOI Exemption Schedule (enter 'C' for closure) or Retention Schedule (enter 'R' for 
retained) 
Schedule Number 
Number of FOI Exemption Schedule or Retention Instrument 
Note 
Specialised information which does not belong in other fields on The National Archives' catalogue - usually statements about how the record has been catalogued or processed 
Comments 
Communications of various types between the departmental cataloguer and the Transfer Adviser 
Related Digital Material 
Cross-referral to digital record, used in transfers of hybrid (paper and born-digital) material 

## 2 The Importance Of Preparation, Consultation And Checking

2.1 
This advice is intended to save time, and avoid frustration. Going wrong at an early stage of the cataloguing process and having to redo work at a later stage can be extremely time-consuming. 
 
To produce better results, and to save time and effort, time should be spent: 

 
 
understanding this cataloguing guidance and the requirements of the template 
 
undertaking brief preparation work prior to cataloguing 
 
consulting with Transfer Advisers over potential problems or the need for 'tailored' guidance for specific records 
 
checking work regularly and thoroughly 2.2 
Anyone unfamiliar with cataloguing public records should ask the Transfer Advisers to arrange coaching or training. 
The National Archives also offers a cataloguing e-learning module for staff at government departments and other public record bodies who transfer records to The National Archives. 2.3 
It is always advisable to undertake brief preparatory work in order to have a clear idea of the cataloguing task. 
 
Firstly, survey the records you will catalogue. 

 
 
Check that all the records are present. If there are more records to transfer into the same series in the near future, it is usually advisable to wait and catalogue all the records together 
 
Ensure that the record selection has been approved by The National Archives' Information Management Consultant  
 
Check records (especially copies of reports) do not duplicate ones already held at The National Archives  
 
Confirm with the Information Management Consultant that the records are being put into the right series, and that a new series has been created if necessary 
 
Check whether the records have been reviewed for sensitivity, and whether there are closure or retention issues which require approval by the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives  
 Secondly, ensure you are ready to begin cataloguing. 

 
Read any background information on the series, including the information on The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery. This will help in understanding the structure of the series and any technical language which may need to be explained  
 
If more records are being added to an existing series, check how earlier parts of the series were catalogued on Discovery. This can make future cataloguing easier, as well as ensuring consistency. However, do not imitate earlier cataloguing if it has been done poorly or does not conform to modern standards 
 
Check the piece number the first record should have - particularly important if the series is shared with another government department. If in doubt check with the Transfer Adviser 
 
If subseries have been used before, and it is agreed with the Transfer Adviser that this should continue, ask for a list of the subseries and their numbers, as already used on the catalogue 2.4 
Cataloguers should consult the Transfer Adviser before commencing cataloguing work about any major issues on which there is any uncertainty, for example, the starting piece number, most suitable order, use of subseries, level of detail required, or whether to continue in the same style as an earlier part of The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery. 


In the case of large collections of case files and maps, agreeing an appropriate format at the start is vital (see section 7). 
 
 
Inexperienced cataloguers, or cataloguers dealing with records of a type they are unfamiliar with, should list just a few records at first, and then submit this sample to the Transfer Adviser to agree their proposed approach and applicable standards. 
If necessary, and if resources allow, 'tailored' guidance can be produced by The National Archives for specific records. 2.5 
When the listing is finished, the cataloguer or a colleague should proofread it carefully for accuracy, understandability, consistency and spelling. The listing should conform to the editorial and technical guidelines provided in this document. 

## 3 Principles Of Cataloguing 3.1 What Sort Of Cataloguing Does The National Archives Require?

The National Archives looks for the following five qualities in the cataloguing data produced by government departments, and most of the points in the following sections of this guidance relate to these qualities. The qualities are: 

 
 
ACCURACY of the data - so that incorrect and false information does not appear on The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery 
 
UNDERSTANDABILITY of the data - so that a researcher (who is not always an expert) can understand the data fairly easily, without having to look things up elsewhere 
 
SIMPLICITY of the data - so that government departments do not waste their time and resources on unnecessary detail, and the researcher can quickly decide if a record might be of interest or not 
 
REASONABLE CONSISTENCY of the data - the data within a series should be reasonably consistent when the records are the same or similar, but consistency should not be pursued at the expense of accuracy, understandability and simplicity 
 
CORRECT USE OF THE TEMPLATE - the data is put in The National Archives' cataloguing template in the correct fields and using the correct formats, so that it can be successfully loaded onto Discovery 
 
Here are a few examples of ACCURACY: 

 
 
Words should be spelled correctly and capital letters used appropriately, as in standard English 
 
Names of legislation, organisations, committees, people and places should be referred to by their correct titles and names 
 
An accurate description of the record as a whole should be produced 
 
Dates and former references should be correct 
 
Closure information on the template should match what has been approved for closure on the Freedom of Information Exemption Schedule 
 
Here are a few examples of UNDERSTANDABILITY: 

 
 
Scope/content should be meaningful within itself (self-contained, self-evident) 
 
Acronyms, abbreviations and 'jargon' should be explained 
 
The location of obscure places should be indicated 
 
The meaning of the scope/content should not be difficult to understand (e.g. because of omission of small words or altering the order of words) 
 
Here are some examples of SIMPLICITY: 
 

 
Records should be arranged in a logical order (usually former reference order) 
 
Subseries should not normally be used; subsubseries are almost never used 
 
Covering dates should usually be given as years (not days or months) 
 
The scope/content should normally be based closely on the title on the record cover (without unnecessary changes) 
 
Unnecessary details should not be included in the scope/content 
 
If most records contain maps or photographs this might be mentioned at series level rather than the information being repeated for each record 
 
Details of retained extracts should not appear on the list 
 
Here are some examples of REASONABLE CONSISTENCY: 
 

 
The same format should generally be used for each record in series of case files, reports and committee papers 
 
Former references from the same series are all usually written in the same format 
 
Consecutive parts of files with the same former reference (e.g. AX 7 PART 1, AX 7 PART 2, 
AX 7 PART 3) should usually have the same or very similar scope/content 
 
Note, however, that when the title of a record is written in 'natural word' order, it should normally be written in the scope/content in natural word order. When the title is written in 'key word' order, the scope/content should normally be written in key word order (see section 9.1) 
 Here are some examples of the CORRECT USE of The National Archives' cataloguing template: 
 

 
The template should not be altered (columns should not be added or omitted, as such changes will result in the cataloguing data failing to load onto Discovery)  
 
The various elements of the cataloguing data should appear in the correct fields of the template 
 
Covering dates should be written in the correct format 
 
Closure information should be recorded in the correct format 
 
Items should be created in the correct format 
 
The overall aim of cataloguing is to produce data that will enable researchers to get to the records they need - a signpost - not an academic publication, or a long and detailed précis of the contents. The description should tell researchers if this is a record they are likely to be interested in, not a replacement for researchers studying the record themselves. 



4 
The seven levels of The National Archives' catalogue and the Archives' 
referencing system 4.1 
 The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery has seven levels available for the description of records: 

 
Level 
Name of level 
Purpose 
Type 
Code on template 
1 
Department 
D 
Provides information about the government department or agency which created the records (such as Home Office or Ministry of Defence) 
Mandatory Written by The National Archives 
2 
Division 
Not on template 
Supplementary Written by The National Archives 
Provides information about a division, directorate or important organisational part of a department or agency (for example, Establishment Division, Prisons Division) Used only when the division has created a number of series grouped together on The National Archives' catalogue 
3 
Series 
S 
Provides information about a particular set of records produced by a department, agency or division 
Mandatory Written by The National Archives (in consultation with government departments) 
4 
Subseries 
SS 
Provides information about subsidiary series or groups of records within The National Archives' series Used only when it is desirable to make clear the major distinct groupings of records within the series 
Supplementary Written by government 
departments Consult with the Transfer Adviser before using 
5 
Subsubseries 
SSS 
Provides information about a group of records within a subseries grouping Used rarely, only when it is necessary to make clear the minor groupings of records, at a lower level than subseries 
Supplementary Written by government departments Used only in exceptional circumstances 
6 
Piece 
P 
Provides information about an individual record, for example, a file, a report or a volume 
Mandatory Written by government departments 
Provides information about separate parts of a piece: 
 
when the piece has been split into two or more parts because of its thickness 
7 
Item 
Supplementary Written by government departments 
I 
 
when an extract has been made which is closed because of its sensitivity 
 
when it is useful to describe individual reports or subfiles within a piece 

 
 
Three of the levels are mandatory for every record: Department, Series and Piece. The other levels are 'supplementary' (they are useful and even necessary on certain defined occasions, but are often not required and can even be detrimental to use). 
 
Of the three mandatory levels, two - Department and Series - are written by Information Management Consultants, though usually from information supplied by government reviewers. 

 
Most of the time departmental cataloguers will only need to use Piece level - occasionally they may have to use Subseries level for subsidiary series or Item level for parts of pieces.  

 4.2 
Every record transferred to The National Archives has a unique three part reference based on the three mandatory levels of description. 
 
For example, the reference CM 6/57 consists of the departmental lettercode, CM; the series number, 6; and the piece number, 57. The next piece is CM 6/58. An item has an additional item number after the piece number, for example: CM 6/57/1 

 
CM is the code for 'Property Service Agency' (PSA) CM 6 is the code for the 'registered files of the PSA Directorate of Defence Services' CM 6/57 is the relevant piece number for one of these files CM 6/57/1 is the item number of part of that file 

 
These references would be written in the template as follows: 

 

| D    |   S  | SS    | SSS    | P    |
|------|------|-------|--------|------|
| CM   |   6  |       |        | 57   |
| CM   |   6  |       |        | 57 1 |
| CM   |   6  |       |        | 58   |

 
4.3 
The first step in cataloguing a set of records within a series is to ensure they are arranged in a sensible, logical order. Once this has been done piece numbers can be assigned to each record. The cataloguer then supplies the following information for each piece: 
 
 
its covering dates  
 
a brief summary of its subject matter, known as scope/content  
 
its Former reference 
 
its public access conditions, if it varies from the normal status of open  
 
if appropriate, certain additional information contained in the Note field, Comments field, and Related digital material field 
 
The next sections of this guidance deal with these elements of piece level description (sections 5- 15). The final sections give a more detailed explanation of when and how to use the supplementary descriptive levels: Subseries, Subsubseries and Item (sections 16-18). 

## 5 Order Of Pieces

5.1 
Records should be arranged in a sensible, logical order, appropriate to the series. This may be by former reference, chronologically, alphabetically, geographically, or by creating organisation, depending on the series. 5.2  
One underlying principle in the arrangement of historical records is to preserve the system of arrangement employed when the records were in use, and not to rearrange them differently (for example by subject). It is important for both researchers and official users to preserve the links between the records that existed while the records were being used for business purposes. 
5.3 
Normally records should be catalogued in order according to their former references (the registration reference codes or numbers with which registered records were marked when they were created). This method of arrangement has the following benefits: 
 
 
it preserves the original arrangement of the records  
 
it is the most simple and logical, yet least labour-intensive, method of arrangement  
 
it helps researchers to locate records of interest more easily (this is a standard method of arrangement, and researchers are familiar with it)  
 
it is much harder to maintain consistency if records are rearranged on the basis of subject matter, especially when further records are added to the series 
 
The order might look like this in the template: 

 

|               |
|---------------|
| Former Ref    |
| 134/2         |
| 134/3 PART A  |
| 134/3 PART B  |
| 134/3 PART C  |
| 134/3 PART D  |
| 134/3 ANNEX   |
| Former Ref    |
| BY 2          |
| BY 3          |
| BY 5          |
| BY 6          |
| BY 9          |
| BY 10         |
| Former Ref    |
| 7/BD 115/1983 |
| 8/BD 100/1984 |
| 8/BD 101/1984 |
| 6/BD 99/1985  |
| 7/BD 120/1985 |
| 8/DB 130/1985 |

 
[Note: in the third example, the year element of the former reference has taken precedence over the other numbers in arranging the records.] 

 5.4 
If a set of records is unregistered (i.e. it does not have former references), it should usually be catalogued in date order, by start date, with the earliest record first. 
5.5 
Normally, The National Archives' series will contain a single specific series or group of departmental records, but occasionally a series may have been created to hold more than one series or group of records. In such cases, each of these subsidiary series ('subseries') or groups should be catalogued in turn, in a logical order. For example, if The National Archives' series contains a series of earlier registered files and a group of later unregistered papers, the registered files would be catalogued first, in former reference order, followed by the unregistered papers in chronological order. 
 
5.6 
If the series of records consists of case files which were kept in alphabetical order (for example, by surname), this arrangement should be preserved in the catalogue. 5.7 
A series of committee records should be arranged in a logical and consistent order, for example: 
 
 
main committee, followed by sub-committees, followed by working groups 
 
minutes, followed by papers 
 
5.8 
If pieces are found to be out of order once cataloguing has begun, rows in the template can simply be cut and pasted into the right place. 5.9 
The numbering of pieces should be consecutive. Gaps in the piece numbers can lead to confusion or even accusations by members of the public that records have been deliberately suppressed. 
There may be occasions when no record is allocated to a certain piece number, but it would be too labour intensive to set this right. In such cases 'Number not used' should be written in the scope/content of the piece, but the date, former reference, note, closure, comments and related digital material fields should be left blank. Use of 'Number not used' must be agreed with the Transfer Adviser. 

 

| Scope/Content    |   D  | S    |   SS  | SSS P    | I    | First           |
|------------------|------|------|-------|----------|------|-----------------|
| Date             |      |      |       |          |      |                 |
| Last             |      |      |       |          |      |                 |
| Date             |      |      |       |          |      |                 |
| FJ               | 20   |      |  54   |          |      | Number not used |

 
Piece numbers should not be written in chinagraph pencil on records until the first number and the order of the records have been agreed with the Transfer Adviser. 

 

## 6 First Date And Last Date Of Pieces

6.1 
Each piece description should include the date range of the piece when it was written. These dates are called 'First Date' and 'Last Date' on the cataloguing template. Accuracy of the date range is important, as it is a key piece of information in helping users decide on the likely relevance of a record. 6.2 
The date range should be the dates of the composition of the record when it was in active use for departmental business. In order to establish the date range of a file: 
 
 
quickly browse the file, as papers are frequently filed out of order 
 
ignore attached, background papers (e.g. copies of earlier papers attached as background information to correspondence dealing with 'current' business). Such background papers can give a misleading impression of when the file started 
 
ignore later notes dealing with the administration of the file when it was no longer in active use (e.g. notes on closing and retrieving the file, registry notes and review notes). Such notes can give a misleading impression of when the file ended 6.3 
The vast majority of the records should be dated at year level using the format yyyy. This is because: 
 
 
 
year level is fully adequate for researchers for the vast majority of records 
 
it can be extremely time-consuming and difficult to establish accurate first and last day and month dates, since frequently pages are not filed in chronological order, later notes 
may have been added to existing pages, etc. 
 
Occasionally there may be records which merit the use of more precise dates, so the cataloguing template also allows records to be dated at month (mm/yyyy) or day (dd/mm/yyyy) level. For example, in the case of Cabinet minutes and papers, it is of historical importance to know what the Cabinet was considering from day to day, and therefore these records should be dated to the precise day. If you are thinking of dating records other than at year level, consult with the Transfer Adviser. 

 6.4 
First and last dates must be written in one of these formats: 

##  Yyyy  Mm/Yyyy  Dd/Mm/Yyyy

For example: 

| First Date            | Last Date    |
|-----------------------|--------------|
| 2004                  | 2007         |
| 04/1985               | 06/1986      |
| 16/06/1987 08/06/2016 |              |

When months (mm/yyyy) are entered into Excel as numbers they will automatically change into text, for example: '02/16' becomes 'Feb-16'. Ensure that the relevant cells are pre-programmed not to automatically change the data. To do this: 

 
i. 
Highlight the cells that you will enter the numbers into 
ii. 
Press Ctrl + 1 to open Format Cells 
iii. 
Select Text, and then click OK 
 
[Note: If you are browsing records on The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery you may notice that the dates have been converted to a different format (e.g. 1987 Jun 16) as part of the loading process. This is an internal process undertaken at The National Archives after the catalogue data has been supplied in the approved format set out in the table above.] 

6.5 
Sometimes a piece appears to be undated. In this event it is usually possible to establish a date from circumstantial evidence - for example, its relationship to other records in the series, office 
holders named in the record, external events mentioned, dates of printing, dates of use, etc. 
 
If the date remains doubtful, estimate the date, and add the term 'Date estimated' in the Note field. 'Undated' can be used in the date fields, but avoid this wherever possible. 

| Closure    | C/R Schedule    | Note    | First Date    | Last Date    | Scope/Content    | Former    |
|------------|-----------------|---------|---------------|--------------|------------------|-----------|
| Ref        | Number          |         |               |              |                  |           |
| 1997       | 1998            |         |               |              |                  |           |
| 1999       | 1999            |         |               |              |                  |           |
| Undated    | Undated         |         |               |              |                  |           |
|            |                 |         |               |              |                  |           |

6.6 
Frequently records are composed at a certain date but their contents deal with a different period in the future or the past. Examples are annual reports, histories, reviews, forward plans, forecasts, and statistical tables. In such cases the start and end dates will be the dates at which the record was 
composed; the dates of the period dealt with by the contents should appear in the scope/content (e.g. 'Annual report 1973/1974'; 'Statistics on the road haulage industry, 1933-1973'; 'Five-year business plan 1974-1979'). 

| First Date    |   Last Date  | Scope/Content                            |
|---------------|--------------|------------------------------------------|
| 1974          |        1976  | Statistics on the road haulage industry, |
| 1933-1973     |              |                                          |

 

## 7 Scope/Content Of Pieces: General Approach To Different Types Of Records

 
This section gives general guidance on describing the contents of different types of records: registered file series; report series; collections of committee records; case files; and maps and plans. Departmental cataloguers should aim to produce scope/content descriptions that are simple, accurate, understandable and reasonably consistent. 

## Registered File Series

7.1 
The scope/content description of a file should be a good summary of the main overall subject of the file. This description is usually based on the title on the cover of the file. The cover title should 
not be altered unnecessarily, but because cover titles vary in quality, the title should always be checked against its contents and improved if necessary. 7.2 
To check whether the cover title is an accurate summary of the file, briefly examine the contents of the file, paying particular attention to the headings of correspondence, reports, meetings and other papers in the file, especially any headings which recur frequently. As a result of this examination, you can judge whether: 
 
 
the cover title is a good description as it stands. Perhaps only punctuation, capitalisation and spelling need to be amended 
 
the cover title needs to be made more accurate or understandable. For example, the title of a piece of legislation may need to be cited correctly, a committee may need to be identified by its formal title, an acronym may need expansion, and so on 
 
the cover title needs to be made either more specific or more general to be a true 
summary of the contents, requiring it to be amended or expanded. If this is the case, it is best to add or reuse a phrase from within the file. For example, 'Iran-Iraq' may become 'Iran-Iraq War'; 'British tea plantations in Sri Lanka' may become 'Conditions of workers in British tea plantations in Sri Lanka'; and 'Extradition of terrorists from the USA to the UK' may become 'Extradition of terrorists from the USA to the UK: draft Supplementary Extradition Treaty 1985' 
 
the cover title is misleading and needs to be completely rewritten. This is rare. If it is necessary, again it is normally best to reuse phrases from within the file 7.3 
Scope/content should be simple and to the point. Aim for a good overall description which sums up the file as a whole, not a list of various topics and developments within a file. Avoid superfluous details and overcomplication. 
 
Usually the scope/content can be 15 words or less, though there is no upper or lower limit. It is quite acceptable for a scope/content to be one or two words long if appropriate, for example: 'Freeports' or 'Harwell computers'. 
Avoid repeating information already given at series level about which department created the files and what sort of files they are. 
If a cover title states what type of papers are in the file (e.g. 'correspondence', 'minutes of meetings and circulated papers'), retain this information in the scope/content; but otherwise do not add details of the types of papers. Nearly all files contain a mixture of correspondence, memoranda, 
meetings, reports, submissions, etc., and there is little point in stating this for individual pieces. 
If the cover title is written in key word order, normally keep the scope/content in key word order. If the cover title is written in natural order, normally keep the scope/current in natural order (see section 9.1). Trying to write the cover titles in a different word order is usually a time-consuming and unnecessary task. 7.4 
Factual information within the scope/content (names and titles of Bills, Acts, committees, people, places, dates) must be accurate. They should be checked within the file or on the internet. 7.5 
The scope/content must be understandable. Acronyms and other things which might be puzzling for users of the catalogue need to be explained. 7.6 
The scope/content should be reasonably consistent. Files with the same former reference (except 
that they are different 'PARTS') should have the same of very similar scope/content. Conversely, files with different former references should have different scope/content. For example: 
 

| Scope/Content                                      | Former Ref                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| Rate Support Grant (RSG) settlement for 1984-1985  | SFE C/1320/1605/04                          |
| PART A                                             |                                             |
| Rate Support Grant (RSG) settlement for 1984-1985  | SFE C/1320/1605/04                          |
| PART B                                             |                                             |
| Rate Support Grant (RSG) settlement for 1984-1985  | SFE C/1320/1605/04                          |
| PART C                                             |                                             |
| Rate Support Grant (RSG) settlement for 1984-1985: |                                             |
| paper on local authority current expenditure       |                                             |
| SFE C/1320/1605/04                                 |                                             |
| ANNEX                                              |                                             |
| SFE C/3309/01                                      | Department of the Environment: Consultative |
| Council on Local Government Finance                |                                             |

## Report Series

7.7 
Normally it is sufficient to write down the title of the report as the scope/content. There is usually no need to include the name of the author or section which produced the report. 
 
The scope/content of reports should be reasonably meaningful. Important acronyms, abbreviations, codenames and operation/exercise names should be explained to make the descriptions more understandable. For example, the report title 'Human factors comments arising from Exercise Van Dyke II' would be rewritten in the scope-content as 'Human factors comments arising from Exercise Van Dyke II, hovercraft trials in Norway', or the title 'The habitability of FV 4201: part 2, cold chamber trials' would be rewritten as 'The habitability of FV 4201 (Chieftain tank): part 2, cold 
chamber trials'. However, it is recognised that sometimes reports are so technical and specialised that it is not feasible to explain everything. 
The scope/content of annual reports should include the name of the establishment e.g. write 'Army Personnel Research Establishment: annual report 1977-1978', not merely 'Annual report 1977- 1978'. 

## Committee Records Series

7.8 
Each scope/content should begin with the name of the committee, sub-committee and working party, written accurately and in full. When dealing with a sub-committee, include the name of the parent committee. In dealing with a working party, include the name of the parent committee and sub-committee. It is usually best to divide the different elements with colons, as follows: 

Scope/Content Committee on Animal Welfare 
Committee on Animal Welfare: Veterinary Sub-Committee: Working Group on Tuberculosis in Cattle 

7.9 
Each scope/content should finish with the details of the specific meeting/s or with details of the specific type of documents in the piece. 
Frequently committee records consist of a series of files, each containing the documents (agenda, papers, minutes) for one specified meeting. Such records should normally be catalogued as follows: 
 

Scope/Content Committee on Animal Welfare: meeting 1 Committee on Animal Welfare: Veterinary Sub-Committee: meeting 16 

 
There is no need to mention the agenda, papers and minutes in such descriptions. The details of the meeting can be in the form 'meeting 1', 'meeting 2' or 'first meeting', 'second meeting'. 
In other cases, describe the type of documents held in the piece as precisely and concisely as 
possible, for example: 

 

Scope/Content Road Signs Committee: minutes of meetings 1-10 Road Signs Committee: Roadworks Sub-Committee: papers 7-31 Committee on University Examinations: agendas and minutes Committee on University Examinations: minutes signed by the Chairman 
Committee on Promotion of Exports: minutes of meetings 8-12 (1978), 1-7 (1979) Committee on Promotion of Exports: Secretary's correspondence and final report 

 
 
Details of paper numbers, etc., should be expressed in a simple format e.g. papers '1-15', not 'RSC(79)P1 to RSC(79)P15'. 7.10 Normally there is no need to mention individual papers which were never issued or are now 
missing. 
 

## Case Files

7.11 Case files are series of files, each containing identical, or very similar, administrative information 
about separate but related subjects, e.g. individual people, ships or towns. They do not contain policy papers. One example is HO 405, where each file deals with a separate application for naturalisation as a British citizen. Another example is ADM 53 - each file is a logbook of a separate 
Royal Navy ship. Case files often come in huge collections of thousands of pieces. Cataloguing them can be very time-consuming, and should be treated as a distinct project. 7.12 The key to cataloguing case files successfully is rigorous planning at the start. It is vital to make the 
right decisions about arrangement and format of descriptions before actually beginning to catalogue. Since there are thousands of files, each containing similar data, if wrong decisions are made at the start, hundreds of hours can be wasted, the successful completion of the project may be put at risk, unnecessary data may be repeated thousands of times, and data which is vital for searching may be omitted from every description. 
The cataloguer should therefore always consult with The National Archives' Transfer Team before starting to catalogue large series of case files, and an appropriate format for cataloguing, with examples, should be discussed, agreed and written down. This format should be reviewed at an 
early stage once work has actually begun (since additional questions are bound to occur), and regularly re-reviewed at later stages. 

 
One major aspect of this planning is to decide what data should be mentioned in the piece-level scope/content and what information might be explained in the series-level description only.  
For example, a series of criminal case files may include the following information about individuals: 
full name; gender; full date of birth; marital status; physical appearance; place of residence; occupation; place of birth; offence; place of trial; and sentence. After considering the usefulness of this information for likely searches on The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery it may be decided that, out of these eleven pieces of data, it will be sufficient to include only three in the scope/content, i.e. full name; year of birth; and offence. Including more information would be too time-consuming and counterproductive, with minimal benefit to researchers. Excluding more information would make the catalogue much more difficult to search. 

 
In this instance, the series level of Discovery would be the appropriate place to record what other 
information is typically found in each file i.e. the series description would explain that each file also contains the eight other data elements. 

 7.13 Names of individuals should be written in normal order e.g. John Smith (not Smith, John). When 
writing the initials of an individual, use spaces, not full stops, between the initials e.g. A J P Taylor, not AJP Taylor or A.J. P. Taylor. 

## Map Series

7.14 As with case files, the key to successfully cataloguing large series of maps or plans is rigorous 
planning at the start. 
There is often a wide range of data which may be recorded about a map, for example: 
 
 
the type of 'map' (map, plan, elevation, drawing, etc.) 
 
the subject or title of the map 
 
the creator or author of the map 
 
what the map was subsequently used for 
 
details of the 'base map' 
 
details of annotations 
 
the dimensions of the map 
 
the scale of the map 
 
the material the map is made from, and its physical state 
 
Before starting to catalogue, consider whether some of this data is information which is common to all, or nearly all, of the maps. Such common information will probably be best explained at series level, rather than in each piece description. For example, if the information is common, series level may be the most suitable place to explain who created the maps, what scale they are, what they are made from, what their general physical state is, etc. If in doubt consult the Transfer Team. 

 
 
Also consider at the start what data is essential information, and what is relatively unimportant - at least with regard to searching the catalogue. For example, the subject or title of the map will always be vital for helping researchers decide whether they wish to order a map or not. Information about the base map and annotations may be relatively insignificant - details researchers can find out for themselves once they have the map before them. 

 
After considering these matters, a format for cataloguing the maps should be agreed with The National Archives' Transfer Team. 

 7.15 The scope/content of maps can often be short, e.g. just a place name. But it must include vital 
information, and adequately explain the subject of the map. For example: 
 

Scope/Content Walton-on-the-Naze Map of Canterbury and East Kent, with transparent overlay showing possible routes for transporting coal from Snowdown and Betteshanger collieries to Canterbury Drawing of main shaft of Betteshanger Colliery, Kent Plan of National Coal Board Offices, 17 London Road, Canterbury, Kent 
Map of Turco-Greek boundary 1832, subsequently marked to show post First World War boundary 

 
7.16 If scale is recorded at piece level, it should be given in the Comments field, in order to facilitate it 
being moved to the 'Map scale number' field when the data is transferred to The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery. Scale should normally be expressed as a representative fraction, e.g. 1:50000. 
Dimensions of maps (if worth recording) should also go into the Comments field, for moving to the 'Dimensions' field once the data is transferred to Discovery. They should normally be recorded in centimetres, e.g. 22cm x 12cm. 
 
7.17 Place names should be written in their standard modern English spelling. If places are obscure, 
ambiguous or have changed name, information should be added to clarify matters (see section 8.5). 
7.18 If the title of the map is written in a foreign language, this should be translated into English. If the 
title involves acronyms or codenames, they should be explained, as usual. 

## 8 Scope/Content Of Pieces: Accuracy And Understandability

8.1 
Accurate factual information: All names and titles of legislation, committees, government departments, publications, people, places etc. in the scope/content should be checked and cited accurately. 
Acts must always include the year of the Act, for example, 'Dangerous Dogs Act 1991', as the year forms part of the name of the Act. However, a year is not compulsory for Bills, except if there is likely to be confusion. For example, there were numerous 'Social Security Bills' and it is necessary to differentiate them by year. 
Usually the best places to check such factual information are within the records themselves and on the internet. For example, use legislation.gov.uk to confirm names of Acts. Some printed sources may also be useful for specific types of information e.g. 'The Civil Service Yearbook' is a good source for information on government departments and roles of ministers and officials. 8.2 
Committee and reports: Committees and their reports are often referred to in file cover titles by the name of their chairperson, rather than by their formal name. For example, a committee may be called 'The Bennett Committee' and a report called 'The Bennett Report'. However, these formats give no indication as to what subject the committee or report were considering, and therefore should be expanded to include the official name of the committee or report. 
The usual methods of expansion are as follows: 
 
 
'Bennett Committee on Police Interrogation Procedures in Northern Ireland' OR 'Committee of Inquiry into Police Interrogation Procedures in Northern Ireland (Bennett Committee)' 
 
'Bennett Report on Police Interrogation Procedures in Northern Ireland' OR 'Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Police Interrogation Procedures in Northern Ireland (Bennett Report)' 8.3 
Acronyms and abbreviations: Acronyms and abbreviations often appear in the cover titles of records. Most of them would be incomprehensible and confusing to users of The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery if simply written down as they stand. Their original meanings are no longer well known, or different acronyms can have different meanings in different contexts. Therefore, most acronyms should be expanded to include the full explanation of what they stand for. 
 
The method for expanding acronyms is to write the full version first followed by the acronym within round brackets - for example: 'Commercial Fast Reactor (CFR)'. Do not use full stops or spaces when writing the acronym (write CFR not C.F.R. or C F R). 
There are a few exceptions where acronyms and abbreviations do not require this treatment, but 
can instead be left unexplained. This occurs when the acronyms and abbreviations are as well known - or sometimes better known - as the full versions, such as: 

 
 
names of organisations and countries, for example, BBC, NATO, RAF, EEC, USA, UK, USSR 
 
common forms of address (Mr, Mrs), personal honours, titles and qualifications (HM The 
Queen, OBE, MP) 
 
other words that are well known in their shortened form, for example, 'No.' meaning number; HMS and SS for ships; Ltd and PLC/plc for companies, UFOs, etc.) 
 
Another exception is the name of a department when it occurs within that department's record series. For example, it is acceptable to use 'FCO' without expansion in Foreign and Commonwealth Office file series, or 'AWE' in Atomic Weapons Establishment record series - but the acronyms would need expansion if used elsewhere. 

 8.4 
Notable individuals: If an individual is named, add the post which they held whenever this is significant to understanding the description of the record. For example, 'with comments by Captain H R Keane, Director of Naval Signals' is more meaningful and useful than 'with comments by Captain H R Keane'. Be careful that the information is correct in the context of the record, because ministers and officials often changed their job titles over the years. 8.5 
Place names: Place names should be written in their standard modern English spelling. 
If a place name is obscure or ambiguous, it needs to be identified further by adding the UK county or the country it belongs to. 
Note that county and even country names and boundaries can change over time. For example, local government in the UK was reorganised in 1974 and again in 1996. Ensure you use the county or country name contemporaneous with the record (i.e. where the place was at the time of the record). This can usually be found by looking inside the record itself. 
 
 
When adding these identifiers, use commas in most instances. Use round brackets if there are 
several place names and commas might be confusing. Use square brackets if the additional information has been derived externally - for example, when adding an identifier to a quoted title.  

 
[Note: italics have been used in the examples below to emphasize what has been added to the 
place names. Italics should not normally be used - see section 9.10.] 

 

Scope/Content Silver Street, Buckden, *Cambridgeshire* Poissy, *France* Newport, *Isle of Wight* 
Newport, *Rhode Island, USA* Eastwood *(Nottinghamshire),* Leadenham *(Lincolnshire),* Docking (Norfolk) and Norton *(Suffolk)* Comments on a report entitled 'Radon levels at South Terras mine *[Cornwall]*' 

 
In some instances, when places are known by a different name nowadays, it can be useful to add 
the new name in round brackets after the name found in the record. 

 

Scope/Content Bombay *(Mumbai)* Peking *(Beijing)* 

 

## 8.6 Authoritative Sources For Checking Spelling And Location Of Place Names Online:

 
 
FCO Index of Geographical Names 
 
NCA Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names 
 
Ordnance Survey 
 
Google Maps  
 
A Vision of Britain 
 
The Columba Gazetteer of the World 

## 9 Scope/Content Of Pieces: General Style And Conventions

 9.1  
Key word order and natural word order: There are two standard ways of writing a scope/content at piece level: 
 
 
key word order (for example: 'Bank of England: security measures; alleged failures of security')  
 
natural word order (for example: 'Security measures at the Bank of England, including alleged failures of security')  
 
In key word order the most important element of the description is placed first and the other information is added in one or more phrases following this. Usually a colon follows the first element and semi-colons separate subsequent elements.  

 
Natural word order is the same as the normal order of spoken or written English. If the cover title is written in key word order, normally it is best to write the scope/content in key word order; if the cover title is written in natural word order, normally it is best to write the scope/content in natural word order. Changing the order of the words can be difficult, timeconsuming, and usually improves the description very little and can even make it worse. For example 'Debts owed to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company' becomes more ambiguous if rewritten as 'Mersey Docks and Harbour Company: debts'. 

 9.2 
Photographs, maps etc. within records: The Scope/content field should be used to indicate the 
presence of the following within records: original photographs, maps and plans; significant drawings and diagrams; notable seals; useful alphabetical indexes; posters, samples and other important objects. 
Copies of photographs (printed photographs), graphs, newspaper cuttings, booklets, leaflets and computer printouts should not normally be mentioned. The information should be added at the end of a scope/content, after a full stop and the word 'With', for example: 
 

Scope/Content UK aid to Kenya. With photographs Miners' strike 1984. With photographs and map Judicial Committee of the Privy Council: minutes of meetings. With index. Orderable at item level 

 
[Note: if a file consists entirely of photographs, plans, etc., the word 'With' is not used, for example: 'Plans of Richmond Park', 'Prototype civil defence shelters: photographs'.] 

 
Always bear in mind that if the information regarding photographs, maps, etc., is common to all or 
most pieces, it may be better to mention it once at series level on The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery instead of constantly repeating it at piece level. For example, some types of records consistently contain such material: 

 
 
most Crown Estate records contain plans 
 
most Boundary Commission records contain maps 
 
scientific reports frequently contain drawings, diagrams and photographs 
In such instances, inform the Transfer Adviser, who can add a phrase such as 'Most pieces contain maps' at series level, which means that this information doesn't need to be repeated at piece level 
 
9.3 
Missing at transfer and missing parts of records: If a piece is missing at the time of transfer to The National Archives, 'Missing at transfer' should be added to the end of the scope/content after a full stop (as shown below) so that the fact is immediately apparent to researchers. Similarly, if a significant part of a record is missing, this information can be added in a similar way. 
 

Scope/Content UK contributions to the European Community. Missing at transfer Airworthiness reports 500-750. With index. Reports 569-701 missing 

 
9.4 
One paragraph: A scope/content should normally be written as a single line or paragraph, not multiple paragraphs. Often it will be 15 words or less - though it can be longer (see section 7.3) 9.5 
Capital letters: Use capital letters as in standard English: at the beginning of the scope/content, for initials and significant words in names and titles, and for acronyms. Here are some examples: General de Gaulle; New York; HMS Valiant; House of Lords; The Times; Committee on Financing the BBC; Working Party on Pay; Industrial Relations Act 1971; White Paper on Proposals for Earnings Related Social Security (Cmnd 3883). 
Sometimes titles on file covers use too many capital letters. Do not copy inappropriate use of capitals. For example, write: 
 
 
'Welfare Committee: minutes of meetings 1-20' NOT 'Welfare Committee: Minutes of Meetings 1-20' 
 'Reorganisation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF): veterinary 
aspects' NOT 'Reorganisation Of the Ministry Of Agriculture, Fisheries And Food (MAFF): 
Veterinary Aspects' 
 
9.6 
Spelling: Spelling should be standard modern English spelling, unless quoting a foreign language or 
archaic English spelling. 9.7 
Punctuation: Keep punctuation simple, light and consistent. As stated in section 9.1 above, when a 
scope/content is in key word order, a colon follows the first element and semi-colons divide subsequent phrases. Otherwise punctuation should be in normal English - commas, semi-colons, round brackets, apostrophes, single quote marks, hyphens, dashes and slashes can all be used. However, a few things should be avoided (see section 9.10). 
A full stop should not normally be put at the end of a scope/content, but is required if extra information, such as 'With photographs' or 'Orderable at item level' is added at the end (see section 9.2). 
 
When writing acronyms, do not use full stops or spaces - write BBC, not B B C or B.B.C. When writing a person's initials, leave a space between the initials - A W Smith, not AW Smith or A.W. Smith. 

 
9.8 
Avoid verbs: Normally, avoid verbs (for example write 'Police investigations of' rather than 'The 
police investigated'). 9.9 
Dates in Scope/Content: Write dates in a scope/content in the format: 18 November 1974. Do not use other formats such as: 18/11/74, 18 Nov 1974, 18th November 1974, November 18 1974. 
 
9.10 Things to avoid: Some punctuation and processing of text is incompatible with eventual transfer of 
the data from the cataloguing template to The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery. 
For this reason, do not use the following: double quote marks (although it is possible to use single quote marks), tabs, paragraph marks, line breaks or page breaks; underlining, italics or bold; superscript or subscript; Greek or other non-Roman scripts. Use ampersand (&) only if absolutely necessary (e.g. in 'P&O'). Change '&' to 'and' in most cases. 

## 10 Scope/Content Of Pieces: Sensitive Descriptions

10.1 Very occasionally a scope/content contains words and details that are too sensitive to be revealed 
to the public on The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery, usually for national security or data protection reasons. The National Archives has a number of ways for dealing with this, and departmental cataloguers should consult with the Transfer Adviser about which is the most appropriate to use. Usually the scope/content is either rewritten or the public version is redacted. 10.2 Under the Data Protection Act 1998, information about a named living individual which is 
inaccurate or misleading, or would cause the individual substantial distress or damage, should not 
be released. The information might be unsubstantiated allegations about an individual or sensitive personal data which is not, and should not be, in the public domain, such as details of the individual's physical or mental health. A scope/content should not appear to imply that an individual is guilty of an offence when he or she may in fact be innocent. 
Some methods for dealing with this are: 
 
 
to omit the names of the individuals if there is no value in having the names in the scope/content 
 
to add extra information so that the full and correct facts (for example, of guilt or innocence) are established  
 
to be explicit where mere allegations are not proven facts, for example, by adding a standard sentence to the Note field which states that guilt or innocence is not implied by the description: 'The naming of an individual within this catalogue does not imply guilt' 10.3 It is recognised that on rare occasions a catalogue description may be considered exempt under FOI 
and should be redacted until the record becomes open. In cases where a scope/content is to be withheld in full or in part, the government department should supply The National Archives with the full scope/content, and indicate clearly in the Comments field and the e-Transfer (AA2) form which elements are to be withheld. 
 
The National Archives will remove the sensitive elements and store them in secure conditions until the records become open, when they will be added to the catalogue. The scope/content may be redacted either partially or in full: the preference of The National Archives is for partial release, so only the sensitive information is not available. 

Scope/Content [Name withheld]: charged with incest Non-destructive testing of [information withheld] 

 
If a catalogue description is to be retained, then a sanitised version should be supplied and agreed with the Transfer Adviser. The access conditions for the piece will indicate that this is not the full version of the scope/content. The full version should be supplied with the piece when it is no longer sensitive and transferred. 
10.4 Sometimes titles on file covers (about matters such as race, disability or gender) use terms which 
today would be considered offensive or pejorative, for example, 'subnormal children'. As a result, there is a risk of repeating an offensive term in describing the records. The two usual means of avoiding this problem are: 
 
 
to use an alternative but equally meaningful and accurate term  
 
to include the term but put it into single quotation marks, making clear that it is a quotation from the record and not a statement of fact 

## 11 Public Access Conditions

11.1 The normal status of pieces is 'Open', that is, open to the public under the Freedom of Information 
Act 2000. If a piece is open leave the closure field blank. 11.2 However the following four variations can occur: 
i. 
Closure under the Freedom of Information Act. Records will come to The National Archives, but remain closed for a specified number of years. This requires approval on an FOI Exemption Schedule by the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives. 
 
ii. 
Retention of specific records under section 3(4) of the Public Records Act. Before the Machinery of Government change of 17 September 2015 (effective 9 December 2015) when The National Archives' parent department changed from the Ministry of Justice to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, this required the approval of the Lord 
Chancellor, and was shown through an entry on a Lord Chancellor's Instrument (LCI). Since 
then it has needed the approval of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and is shown through an entry on a Retention Instrument. It is used for retention by government departments of public records over 20 years old (there is an incremental transition from the previous 30 years between 2013 and 2022). 
 
iii. 
'Blanket' retention of a certain category of record under section 3(4) of the Public Records Act. The most common 'blanket' retention instrument is the Security and Intelligence Instrument (LCI 106). Under this LCI the Lord Chancellor gave permission in advance for 
security and intelligence records to be retained, removing the need for departments to make applications for individual records. 
 
iv. 
Temporary retention. This is used for retention of records under 20 years old, and does not require approval by the Secretary of State or the Advisory Council. Temporary retention can be used when sensitivity issues have not been settled. 11.3 If a piece is closed under the Freedom of Information Act: 
 
the Closure field contains the number of years of closure (e.g. '40' or '84' - not '40 years', 
'84 years') 
 
the C/R (Closure/Retention) field (formerly LS) contains 'C' for Closure 
 
the Schedule number field (formerly LN) contains the number of the approved FOI Exemption Schedule 
 

| Closure    | C/R    |   Schedule  |
|------------|--------|-------------|
| Number     |        |             |
| 40         | C      |         24  |

 
11.4 If a piece is retained under section 3(4), either as a specific entry on a Retention Instrument or 
under a 'blanket' retention instrument: 
 
 
 
the Closure field contains 'S' (for retention under section 3(4))  
 
the C/R field contains 'R' for Retention  
 
the Schedule number field contains the number of the Lord Chancellor's or Retention Instrument 
 

| Closure    | C/R    |   Schedule  |
|------------|--------|-------------|
| Number     |        |             |
| S          | R      |         85  |

 
11.5 If a piece is temporarily retained write 'T' in the piece's Closure field: 

Closure T 

 11.6 The C/R and Schedule number fields are required on the cataloguing template to demonstrate that 
closures and retentions under section 3(4) have been properly authorised and are valid. This enables the Transfer Adviser to process the data more quickly. 
 
The following are examples of closed pieces and extracts, and retained pieces: 


| P                                      | I      | First    |
|----------------------------------------|--------|----------|
| Date                                   |        |          |
| Last                                   |        |          |
| Date                                   |        |          |
| Scope/Content                          | Former |          |
| Ref                                    |        |          |
| Closure                                | C/R    | Schedule |
| Number                                 |        |          |
| 58                                     | C      | 63       |
| policy, correspondence                 |        |          |
| ACCTS                                  |        |          |
| 504/7(ii)                              |        |          |
| PART 4                                 |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
| related studies: finance               |        |          |
| F/01/20                                |        |          |
| PART 4                                 |        |          |
| 409                                    | 1      | 1976     |
| S                                      | R      | 106      |
| including Inspection Validation Centre |        |          |
| F/01/29                                |        |          |
| PART 3                                 |        |          |
| 90                                     | C      | 17       |
| PART 3                                 |        |          |
| 411                                    |        | 1976     |
| Technology: evidence, briefs.          |        |          |
| Orderable at item level                |        |          |
| 411                                    | 1      | 1976     |
| 411                                    | 2      | 1976     |
|                                        |        |          |
| development                            |        |          |
| F/11/02                                |        |          |
| PART 3                                 |        |          |
| 412                                    | 1      | 1974     |
| F/21/13                                | S      | R        |
| work. Orderable at item level          |        |          |
| 413                                    | 1      | 1981     |
| 413                                    | 2      | 1981     |
|                                        | 63     | C        |
| photographs                            |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
| recycling                              |        |          |
| F/31/17                                |        |          |
| PART 1                                 |        |          |
| T                                      |        |          |
| PART 4                                 |        |          |
| 415                                    |        | 1975     |
| Radiological Protection Board (NRPB)   |        |          |
| costs                                  |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |
|                                        |        |          |

## 12  Former References

12.1 Former references (sometimes referred to as 'departmental references' or 'file references') are the 
departmental codes or numbers used for the records before they were assigned The National Archives' catalogue references. Usually they were marked on the covers of the records when they were created by a registry, often in accordance with a subject classification scheme. 12.2 Record former references accurately. They are a major means by which researchers pursue a line of 
research from one record to another, and by which official users identify the documents they need to order back for administrative purposes. 
The correct arrangement of pieces also depends on the accurate transcription of former references. 12.3 Maintain consistency in spacing, punctuation and capitalisation. Most often former references 
consist of a letter prefix followed by a number code and a part number or letter. Such references are usually written in the cataloguing template in this way: XXX 111 PART 1 (where XXX stands for the letters, 111 for the numbers; PART is written in capitals; and a space separates each of these elements). In the template they might look like this: 
 

Former Ref COM 2 COM 7 COM 19 PART A COM 19 PART B COM 19 ANNEX COM 42 

 
Remove 'leading zeros' which were not part of the original former reference. Leading zeros mean zeros added to the former reference after the file was no longer in use (e.g. XY 0027/002/0001 - which should become XY 27/2/01). 12.4 If a file contains an earlier file annexed to it, it may be useful to researchers to know this. Record 
such information in this form: XXX 111 PART 1 (ZZZ 222 annexed). However, if there are numerous annexures from the later files of an old series to the early files of a new series, point this out to The National Archives for inclusion at series level and omit it at piece level. 

## 13 Note Field

13.1 The National Archives has changed its guidance to government departments with regard to the 
Note field, in order to align with international cataloguing standards and standards practised by other archives and places of deposit. 
From April 2017 the Note field should be used to accommodate information which does not belong more appropriately to any other field of The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery. 
This change will ensure that data about photographs, maps, plans, indexes, etc. inside records is 
stored in the correct field from the start of the cataloguing process, safeguarding against the risk of losing the data when transferring it to another field. 13.2 The following information should now be put into the Scope/content field: 
 
information about photographs, maps, plans, indexes, etc. contained within records (see section 9.2) 
 
information about missing material (see section 9.3) 
 
13.3 The following information should now be put in the Comments field, for eventual transfer to 
appropriate fields on The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery (see section 14.4): 
 
 
foreign languages 
 
medium 
 
size of maps  
 
scale of maps 
 
cross-references 
 
severe physical damage 
 
 
Information about printed photographs, graphs, newspaper cuttings, booklets, leaflets and computer printouts within files should not normally be mentioned on the template (except in as far as they cause physical preparation issues - see section 14.3). 13.4 The type of information which should continue to appear in the Note field will most commonly be 
statements about how the record has been catalogued or processed, for example: 
 
 
'The naming of a defendant within this catalogue does not imply guilt' (used for data protection purposes when cataloguing court records) 
 
'Date estimated' (when a first or last date has been assigned, but there remains significant doubt about it) 
 
'Photocopy: original destroyed because of asbestos contamination' (used when the original could not be transferred and a photocopy was transferred instead) 

## 14 Comments

 
14.1 Comments is a new field. It should be used for communications of various types with the Transfer 
Adviser. Information in the Comments field is not loaded onto The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery, and will not be seen by the public unless it is moved by The National Archives' Transfer Team to another field on Discovery. 14.2 The first use of the Comments field is to enable a departmental cataloguer to communicate 
cataloguing questions and issues to the Transfer Adviser while drafting piece descriptions, for example, 'Unable to discover the meaning of acronym EDCR', 'Not sure what M2 means', 'File 
contents appear very different from file cover title', 'File was quoted in Official History - should I mention this, if so where?' The Transfer Adviser may reply using this field or in another way. 14.3 The second use of the Comments field is to indicate unresolved physical preparation issues which 
the Transfer Adviser will need to inspect and advise on. Examples are: 'Lots of sellotape in the file', 'Sticky tape on the cover', 'Many damaged pages', 'Many newspaper cuttings glued onto pages', 'Contains fragile map on tracing paper', 'Oversize plan enclosed in file', 'File contains 2 microfiche and a CD'. Mentioning these issues will help the Transfer Adviser to check the physical preparation more quickly, speeding up the transfer process. Problems still unresolved at transfer (e.g. sticky tape) will need to be noted in the Physical Condition section of the e-Transfer form (AA2), for the attention of the Collection Care Department at The National Archives. 14.4 The third use of the Comments field is to communicate certain types of cataloguing data which the 
Transfer Adviser will need to move (after transfer) to certain specific, dedicated fields on The 
National Archives' catalogue, Discovery; fields which do not exist on the cataloguing template because they are used comparatively rarely. This is data about foreign languages, medium, size and scale of maps, significant cross-references and severe physical damage. 
Foreign languages in a piece. A foreign language should only be mentioned if there is a substantial amount of text (20% or more). The language should always be mentioned if the piece is written entirely in a foreign language. The data should be written in the Comments field in this format - 'Language: English and French', 'Language: Dutch, English and German' or 'Language: Spanish' (the last example means everything is written in Spanish, with no English). The Transfer Team will move this information to the 'Language' field on Discovery. 
 
 
If English is the only language used, this does not need to be recorded. The only exception to this is for Welsh Government records where 'Language: English' should be used when a record is in English only but the scope/content contains a bilingual description. 


Medium of the piece. If the piece is not paper, this should be mentioned, e.g. 'Piece is a microfilm', 'Piece is a microfiche'. The Transfer Team will move this information to the 'Physical description form' field on Discovery. 
Size of a map. If the piece is a map (not merely a piece containing a map), write down the size of the map in centimetres, in the format 'Map size 90cm x 30cm'. The Transfer Team will move this 
information to the 'Dimensions' field on Discovery. 
Scale of a map: If the piece is a map (not merely a piece containing a map), write down the scale of the map, if possible in the format 'Map scale 1: 63360' rather than '1 inch to 1 mile'. The Transfer Team will move this information to the 'Map scale number' field on Discovery. 
Cross-references to related material (except for digital records) can be added in the Comments field. However, cross-references are not normally necessary, since all related records can easily be found by carrying out searches on Discovery. They should only be added for links between records which are obscure and difficult to find, and are usually in the format 'See also MT 500/172'. The Transfer Team will move such cross-references to the 'Related material' field, and create a reciprocal cross-reference from the cross-referenced material (in this example MT 500/172). 
Severe physical damage of a piece. If a piece has severe physical damage which may limit its use by 
the public, this should be explained in the Comments field, for example by writing 'Many pages extremely fragile', 'Rolled map which tears if any attempt made to unroll it'. The Transfer Team will move this information to the 'Restrictions on use' field on Discovery (or in some cases the 'Physical condition' field), if the problem cannot be resolved. 14.5 Remember that if the information is common to all or most of the pieces in a series, it may be 
better for the information to be recorded at series level, rather than being continually repeated at piece level. For example, if all the maps in a map series have the same scale, this information could be added at series level by informing the Transfer Adviser (see section 9.2). 
 
14.6 The fourth use of the Comments field is to alert the Transfer Adviser that a scope/content is 
sensitive and is to be withheld from the public in full or in part (see section 10). For example: 'Name is to be withheld', 'Closed scope/content'.  

## 15 Related Digital Material

15.1 This is a new field. It has been created specifically to deal with hybrid records which contain both 
paper and digital components. A cross referral from the paper component to the related digital component should be entered in this field. (A corresponding referral from digital to paper will be created for the digital component.) 
Related Digital Material See also - Digital component of this record - [Welsh Language Board - Progression Project - Meeting Minutes and Papers - 2007] 

 
The use of this field is still under development. Please consult the Transfer Adviser for further guidance. 

 

## 16 Subseries Level

16.1 Subseries are a comparatively rarely used supplementary descriptive level. Subseries are used to 
indicate, separate and describe distinct, subsidiary series or groups of records within a single series. They should be used with caution. Overuse of subseries can make catalogue data in The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery difficult to compose, use and maintain. 
 
Usually The National Archives' series contains a single homogeneous series of departmental records. In such a case subseries are unlikely to be useful. However, occasionally, The National Archives' series contains more than one series or group of departmental records. For example it might contain: 

 
 
several series of records from different senior officials  
 
several different file series, with different file prefixes  
 
records from more than one scientific establishment 
 
In such cases it makes sense to indicate and explain the different departmental series by using the subseries level. 

 
16.2 The use of subseries requires the approval of a Transfer Adviser - consult with them at an early 
stage if you are thinking of using subseries. 16.3 A subseries consists of a title, usually in upper case, written in the scope/content, and an associated 
number written in the subseries (SS) column in the rows containing the subseries title and all the 
pieces and items which belong to that subseries. The number is what enables the subseries title and the pieces and items to be linked together in The National Archives' catalogue, Discovery. 
 
When using subseries you must follow certain technical rules: 

 
 
 
Each subseries title must have its own number. The first subseries of a new series will be subseries 1, the next subseries 2, the next 3, and so on 
 
A subseries title must always be written in exactly the same way whenever it is used, and the same associated number must be used with it. Unless there is strict consistency, the data will not load or function properly on Discovery 
 
When cataloguing an accrual to an existing series, refer to a list of the subseries and subsubseries and associated numbers which have already been used in the series, in order to maintain the strict consistency necessary. The Transfer Adviser can supply this list. If 
you think any of the existing subseries needs to be changed, tell the Transfer Adviser. If a new subseries is required, use the next available number 

 
Subseries titles do not have first and last dates, former references, closure information, notes, comments etc. All the fields in the subseries title line should be blank except for D, S, SS and Scope/Content 
16.4  The following is an example of using subseries. FCO 55 contains several different departmental 
series. Subseries 7 is used for SME files (which deal with Environmental Problems) and subseries 8 for SMF files (Scientific Relations): 

| D                                  | S      | SS          | SSS    | P                       | I                                       | First                  |
|------------------------------------|--------|-------------|--------|-------------------------|-----------------------------------------|------------------------|
| Date                               |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| Last                               |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| Date                               |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| Scope/Content                      | Former |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| Ref                                |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| FCO 55 7                           |        |             |        |                         |                                         | ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS |
| FCO 55 7                           |        | 1023        | 1973   | 1976                    | Preservation of wild birds              | SME 7/6                |
| SME                                |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| 7/324/1                            |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| FCO 55 7                           |        | 1024        | 1973   | 1973                    | Convention on Wetlands of International |                        |
| Importance especially as Waterfowl |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| Habitat 1971 (Ramsar Convention)   |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| FCO 55 8                           |        |             |        |                         |                                         | SCIENTIFIC RELATIONS   |
| FCO 55 8                           |        | 1027        | 1973   | 1973                    | International Institute for the         |                        |
| Management of Technology (IIMT)    |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| SMF 2/1                            |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| PART A                             |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| FCO 55 8                           |        | 1029        | 1973   | 1973                    | Conference on Security and Co-operation |                        |
| in Europe (CSCE)                   |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| SMF                                |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| 2/579/1                            |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| PART A                             |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |
| FCO 55 8                           |        | 1029 1 1973 | 1973   | Closed extract: Folio 1 |                                         |                        |
|                                    |        |             |        |                         |                                         |                        |

 

## 17 Subsubseries Level

17.1 Subsubseries are a very rarely used supplementary descriptive level. They are used to provide 
information about groups of records within a subseries grouping. 
 
For example, The National Archives' series may contain records from more than one scientific establishment (subseries), and the records of the scientific establishments may divide into distinct groups of Reports, Technical Notes and Technical Memoranda (subsubseries). 

Subsubseries are hardly ever used, however, because they make composing, maintaining and searching the catalogue unnecessarily complicated. Consult with the Transfer Adviser at an early stage if you are thinking of using subsubseries - the Transfer Adviser must approve their use. 

 
The technical rules for adding subsubseries to the Excel template are similar to the rules for subseries. 

 
Here is an example from series KV 2 - the only 'live' series currently using subsubseries (the series has some unusual cataloguing conventions): 
 

D 
S 
SS 
SSS 
P 
I 
First Date 
Last Date 
Scope/Content 
Former Ref 
KV 
2 2 


WORLD WAR II 
KV 
2 2 
13 


Subjects of Security Service Enquiry 
KV 
2 2 
13 
4094  
12/02/1941 30/12/1965 Viorel Virgil TILEA: Romanian. 
PF 53105 
VOLUME 1 
TILEA was a diplomat, most 
noted for his ambassadorship in the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He became a key representative of Romania's monarchist regime in exile 

 

## 18 Item Level

18.1 Item level is a supplementary descriptive level used to provide information about separate parts of 
a piece: 


 
When the piece has been split into two or more parts because of its thickness 
 
When extracts or redactions have been made from the piece because of their sensitivity, and these extracts are closed under the exemption provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 
 
When it is useful to describe individual reports or subfiles within a piece 
 
18.2 Do not create items for extracts and redactions that are being retained (as opposed to closed) from 
the piece because of their sensitivity. This applies whether the extracts are being temporarily retained or retained under section 3(4) of the Public Records Act. The main reasons why retained extracts are not entered on the cataloguing template are: 
 
 
Retained extracts do not need to be managed by The National Archives through its catalogue, as they are in the custody of the government department 
 
The time and effort required in creating items for retained extracts far outweighs the 
usefulness of this information to researchers 18.3 Items created when splitting a thick file 
Create items where a very thick, unwieldy file or other record is split into parts (items) for conservation and handling purposes. Such splitting is usually only necessary when a file is more 
than 4-5cm thick (see The National Archives' Physical Preparation guidance). 
It is comparatively rare for such splitting to be necessary provided that a suitably long tag is run through the file and the file is tied around with cotton tape. 
When creating such items, describe the whole piece as usual, but add the phrase: '. Orderable at item level' at the end of the scope/content. 
Then create numbered items under the parent piece. The first item will be item 1; the next item 2 and so on. The dates and closure status of each item should be the same as for the piece. 
 
 
If there are two items, the scope/content of the first item will be 'Part 1 of 2' and the scope/content of the second item will be 'Part 2 of 2'. If there are three items it will be 'Part 1 of 3' and so on. Give the former reference at piece level only, not item level. 
Supplementary information such as 'With photographs' (see section 9.2) and 'Date estimated' (see section 13.4) is normally entered at piece level, rather than at item level, unless there is a particularly strong reason to add the information at item level. The same supplementary information should not be repeated unnecessarily at both levels. 

 
P 
I First 
Note 
D S 
S
S 
Date 
Last 
Date 
Scope/Content 
Former 
Ref 
Closure 
C/R 
Schedule 
Number 
S
S S 
 1987 1992 Farm Animal 
AJ 4441B 
M A F 
3 6 9 
 
 
3 3 4 


Photocopy: original destroyed 
Welfare Council report on the welfare of livestock at markets. Orderable at item level 
1 1987 1992 Part 1 of 2 


M A F 
3 6 9 
 
 
3 3 4 
2 1987 1992 Part 2 of 2 


M A F 
3 6 9 
 
 
3 3 4 
 

## 18.4 Items Created To Allow Management Of Extracts Subject To Closure Under Foi Exemptions

 
Create a numbered item on the template where an extract or group of extracts is closed under the exemption provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, as authorised by an FOI Exemption 
Schedule. The creation of an item with its own reference will enable the closed extract to be managed separately from the open parent piece. 
The item should contain all the extracts closed for the same period and for the same reason (the same section or sections of the Freedom of Information Act and the same justification) and authorised by the same FOI Exemption Schedule. 
The item number and extract details should match the details given on the FOI Exemption Schedule. If there is any problem or discrepancy, consult with the Transfer Adviser to find a solution. 
 
 
When creating such an item, describe the parent piece as usual and create an item under it. This will be item 1 unless there are other items. The date of each item should have the same date as the parent piece. 
The scope/content of each item should read 'Closed extract(s):' along with details or identifiers of the extracts in that item. For example: 'Closed extract: Memorandum dated 13/12/1984' or 'Closed extracts: Enclosures 2, 3, 5A, 17; note on file cover' or 'Closed extracts: 17 pages'. 
[Note: if you are recording how many pages have been closed, this should be the number of 
physical pages regardless of how much text is redacted, i.e. one page equates to one physical sheet, whether it has one word or print on both sides.] 

 
Leave the Former reference field blank. 
The Closure field should contain the number of years of closure; the C/R field should contain 'C'; 
and the Schedule number field should contain the number of the FOI Exemption Schedule. For example: 

 
D S 
SS 
SS S 
P 
I 
First Date 
Last Date 
Scope/Content 
Former Ref 
Closure 
C/R 
Schedule Number 
 
 
8  
1970 1977 Possible commercial 


E G 
1 4 
explorations for mineral resources in the Antarctic. With maps 
CIP 1006/6 05/01 PART 1 
 
 
8 1 1970 1977 Closed extracts: Folios 
 
40 
C 
120 
E G 
1 4 
106, 110, 112, 116 
 

## 18.5 Items Created To Allow More Detailed Description

 
On rare occasions it may be appropriate for departmental cataloguers to use items to describe a number of distinct reports or subfiles which comprise a single piece. Consult the Transfer Adviser before cataloguing in this way, as it may be unnecessarily time-consuming and complex. 
When creating such items describe the whole piece as usual and add '. (Described at item level)' at the end of the scope/content. Then create items under it. The first item will be item 1; the next item 2 and so on. 
The date of each item should be the particular date of the report or subfile comprising the item, not the piece date (if the report or subfile date is unknown, use the piece date). Each item will have its own distinct scope/content - a description of the individual report or subfile. 
The Former reference field should either contain the item's own distinct former reference (the report or subfile's own unique reference) if this is useful to researchers, or else be left blank. It should not contain the piece's former reference. The closure status of the items should normally be the same as the piece. 

| Closure                       | D      | S        | SS SSS    | P    |   I  | First    |
|-------------------------------|--------|----------|-----------|------|------|----------|
| Date                          |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| Last                          |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| Date                          |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| Scope/Content                 | Former |          |           |      |      |          |
| Ref                           |        |          |           |      |      |          |
|                               | 40     | COAL 100 |           |      | 212  |          |
| (F&AT) Branch Reports 39-     |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| 41. (Described at item level) |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| F&AT 39                       | 40     | COAL 100 |           |      | 212  | 1 1989   |
| on a small sample of pellets  |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| made from Bolsover Froth      |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| Flotation Fines by the        |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| Komarec Process               |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| F&AT 40                       | 40     | COAL 100 |           |      | 212  | 2 1990   |
| mountain logs. With           |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| photographs                   |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| F&AT 41                       | 40     | COAL 100 |           |      | 212  | 3 1991   |
| of moisture ingress to the    |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| insulation of a Selkirk       |        |          |           |      |      |          |
| Ceramic Chimney Section       |        |          |           |      |      |          |

## Examples Of New Cataloguing Template

[Note: the following examples are partially artificial, designed to illustrate elements of the guidance.] 

Example 1: acronyms; Comments field; Note field; temporary retention; piece split into parts (due to thickness); missing at transfer; with maps 
 
D S 
SS 
SSS P 
I First 
Closure 
C/R Schedule 
Date 
Last Date 
Scope/Content 
Former Ref 
Number 
Note Comments 
Related Digital Material 
PTS B/1089/ 03 
 
T 


File contains 2 microfiche and a CD 
T 538 
 
 
172 
 
1985 
1985 
British Steel Corporation (BSC): long-term borrowing from the National Loans Fund (NLF) 
 
PTS E/566/1 327/01 


Date esti mate d 
Language: English, French and German 
T 538 
 
 
173 
 
1981 
1985 
British Iron and Steel Consumers' Council (BRISCC) report on government policies and the effects on the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) steel industries and other BRISCC papers 


Sellotape on cover 
PTS F/287/0 1 
T 538 
 
 
174 
 
1985 
1985 
British Steel Corporation (BSC): coal related matters. Missing at transfer 
T 


PTS F/822/1 295/01 
T 538 
 
 
175 
 
1980 
1985 
British Steel Corporation (BSC): privatisation. With maps. Orderable at item level 
T 538 
 
 
175 
1 1980 
1985 
Part 1 of 2 
 
T 


T 538 
 
 
175 
2 1980 
1985 
Part 2 of 2 
 
T 

## Example 2: Subseries; Closure Under Foi (Closed Pieces And Items); Retention Under Section 3(4); With Photographs; Comments Field; Related Digital Material Field

| Closure C/R Schedule          | Note Comments Related                           | D                                         | S    | SS SSS P    | I       | First    |
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|------|-------------|---------|----------|
| Date                          |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| Last                          |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| Date                          |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| Scope/Content                 | Former                                          |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| Ref                           | Number                                          | Digital                                   |      |             |         |          |
| Material                      |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| FCO 33 12                     |                                                 |                                           |      |             | ICELAND |          |
| FCO 33 12                     | 7215                                            | 1984 1984 Invitation to Margaret          | WRC  |             |         |          |
| 314/3                         |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
|                               |                                                 |                                           |      | Many        |         |          |
| pages                         |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| extremely                     |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| fragile                       |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| Thatcher, UK Prime Minister,  |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| to address the Icelandic      |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| National Convention of Junior |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| Chambers, May-June 1984       |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| See also -                    |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| Digital                       |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| component                     |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| of this                       |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| record -                      |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| [Meeting                      |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| Minutes                       |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| and Papers                    |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| - 1984]                       |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| FCO 33 12                     | 7216                                            | 1984 1984 Diplomatic representation of    | S    | R           | 110     |          |
| Iceland in the UK             |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| WRC                           |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| 400/1                         |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| FCO 33 12                     | 7217                                            | 1984 1984 Diplomatic representation of    | 60   | C           | 64      |          |
| the UK in Iceland             |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| WRC                           |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| 400/2                         |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| FCO 33 13                     |                                                 |                                           |      |             | DENMARK |          |
| FCO 33 13                     | 7218                                            | 1985 1985 Leading personalities in        |      |             |         |          |
| Denmark. With photographs     |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| WRD                           |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| 10/1                          |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| FCO 33 13                     | 7218 1 1985 1985 Closed extracts: Folios 24, 30 |                                           | 40   | C           | 63      |          |
| FCO 33 13                     | 7219                                            | 1984 1984 Internal political situation in |      |             |         |          |
| Denmark                       |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| WRD                           |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| 14/1                          |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| FCO 33 13                     | 7220                                            | 1984 1984 Denmark: annual review for      |      |             |         |          |
| 1983                          |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| WRD                           |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
| 14/2                          |                                                 |                                           |      |             |         |          |
Example 3: Committee records; exact dates for Cabinet Committee records; retention under section 3(4); temporary retention; Comments field 
 
Closure C/R Schedule 
Note Comments Related 
D 
S 
SS SSS P 
I First Date 
Last Date 
Scope/Content 
Former Ref 
Number 
Digital Material 
CAB  134  
 
4952  
28/01/1986 23/12/1986 Official Committee 
AI (86) 


on Anglo-Irish Relations: meetings 1-2, papers 1-11 
CAB 134  
 
4953  
04/02/1986 05/11/1986 Advisory Council 
 
ARD (86) 
S 
R 
110 
 
Should I include acronym ACARD? 
for Applied Research and Development: meetings 1-6, 
papers 1-21 
CAB 134  
 
4954  
24/04/1986 12/06/1986 Advisory Council 


ARD (86) 
for Applied Research and Development: papers 22-40 
CAB 134  
 
4955  
03/07/1986 18/12/1986 Advisory Council 
T 


ARD (86) 
for Applied Research and Development: papers 41-61 
CAB 134  
 
4956  
18/02/1986 19/12/1986 Civil Contingencies 


CCU (86) 
Unit: meetings 1- 11, papers 1-13