Abstract
The paper describes the creation in 2003 of a new central authority for records management and archiving for the United Kingdom government and for England and Wales – the National Archives, formed from the Public Record Office (PRO) and the Historical Manuscripts Commission (HMC). The author outlines the process of the merger and the organizational and administrative difficulties that had to be overcome. Some of these resulted from the historical development of the two bodies, the primary concern of the PRO being for government and public records and the HMC for non-public records and private archives, and an account of the background to the eventual merger is given. The paper also considers the implications for the National Archives of new developments, such as the Freedom of Information Act and digital preservation and access, and the standards now expected in an environment of online service delivery.
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