Shaping the way UK government information is managed
Who we are and how we operate
Who we are
The National Archives is the UK government's official archive, containing almost 1,000 years of history, with records ranging from parchment and paper scrolls through to digital files and archived websites.
We give detailed guidance to government departments and the public sector on information management, in order to ensure the survival of records, and advise others throughout the public and private sectors about the care of historical archives. We also publish all UK legislation and advise upon and encourage the re-use of public sector information.
The National Archives is a government department and an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. It brings together the Public Record Office, Historical Manuscripts Commission, the Office of Public Sector Information and Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
For more information on who we are, what we do and the records we hold, see:
• Our collection
• Embracing the future, preserving our past – our priorities for 2009-2010 (PDF 1479.86kb)
How we operate
The Vision of The National Archives is to:
- Lead and transform information management
- Guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow
- Bring history to life for everyone
For more information on the organisation and ethos of The National Archives see our:
Like most other government departments, we keep our own records on registered electronic and paper files. The files are used to document the transactions of The National Archives' administrative activity.
For more information on how we operate internally, download our framework agreement:
- The National Archives' Framework Agreement (PDF, 84.61kb)
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