Our role - The National Archives

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id="page_wrap" class="container" role="main">  <div class="row" id="breadcrumb-holder" tabindex="-1"> <div class="col starts-at-full clr"> <div id="breadcrumb"> <span class="first"><a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/">Home</a> > </span> <span><span><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/">About us</a></span> > <span class="breadcrumb_last" aria-current="page">Our role</span></span> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="row"> <div class="col starts-at-full ends-at-full box clr"> <div class="heading-holding-banner"> <h1><span><span> Our role </span> </span> </h1> </div> <div class="breather no-left-right-padding"> <div class="grid-within-grid-two-item clr"> <div> <p>We are a non-ministerial department, and the official archive and publisher for the UK Government, and for England and Wales. We are the guardians of over 1,000 years of iconic national documents.</p> <p>We are expert advisers in information and records management and are a cultural, academic and heritage institution. We fulfil a leadership role for the archive sector and work to secure the future of physical and digital records.</p> </div> <div class="siblings-introduction-image our-role"> <div class="siblings-introduction-image"> <div class="section-image position-relative"> </div> </div> </div> <style type="text/css"> .siblings-introduction-image { min-height: 180px; } </style> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row" id="index"> <div class="col starts-at-full ends-at-half clr box"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/what-we-do/" title="What we do"> <div class="starts-at-full ends-at-half thumbnail-container-lrg" style="background-image: url(/web/20240404224012im_/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/tna-about-us-what-we-do.jpg); background-repeat: no-repeat"> </div> </a> <div class="heading-holding-banner"> <h2 class="section-heading"><span> <span> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/what-we-do/"> What we do </a> </span> </span> </h2> </div> <div class="breather no-left-right-padding no-top-padding"> <p>We collect and secure the future of the government record, from Shakespeare’s will to tweets from Downing Street, to preserve it for generations to come.</p> </p> <ul class="child"> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/what-we-do/our-history/"> Our history </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="col starts-at-full ends-at-half clr box"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/" title="Executive team"> <div class="starts-at-full ends-at-half thumbnail-container-lrg" style="background-image: url(/web/20240404224012im_/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/transparency-v21.jpg); background-repeat: no-repeat"> </div> </a> <div class="heading-holding-banner"> <h2 class="section-heading"><span> <span> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/"> Executive team </a> </span> </span> </h2> </div> <div class="breather no-left-right-padding no-top-padding"> <p>The Executive team ensures we achieve our vision and business plan, and work together to look at all the key issues involved with running the organisation.</p> </p> <ul class="child"> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/jeff-james/"> Jeff James </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/emmajane-avery/"> Emmajane Avery </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/lucy-fletcher/"> Lucy Fletcher </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/neil-curtis/"> Neil Curtis </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/gemma-maclagan-ram/"> Gemma Maclagan Ram </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/andrea-metcalf/"> Andrea Metcalf </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/john-sheridan/"> John Sheridan </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/executive-team/meeting-summaries/"> Meeting minutes </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="col starts-at-full ends-at-half clr box"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/plans-policies-performance-and-projects/" title="Plans, policies, performance and projects"> <div class="starts-at-full ends-at-half thumbnail-container-lrg" style="background-image: url(/web/20240404224012im_/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/COPY1-68-100.jpg); background-repeat: no-repeat"> </div> </a> <div class="heading-holding-banner"> <h2 class="section-heading"><span> <span> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/plans-policies-performance-and-projects/"> Plans, policies, performance and projects </a> </span> </span> </h2> </div> <div class="breather no-left-right-padding no-top-padding"> <p>You can learn even more about us via our strategic plans and vision, annual reports, strategic policies and guidance, on the following pages.</p> </p> <ul class="child"> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/plans-policies-performance-and-projects/our-plans/"> Our plans </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/plans-policies-performance-and-projects/our-policies/"> Our policies </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/plans-policies-performance-and-projects/our-performance/"> Our performance </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/plans-policies-performance-and-projects/our-projects/"> Our projects </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="col starts-at-full ends-at-half clr box"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/" title="Transparency"> <div class="starts-at-full ends-at-half thumbnail-container-lrg" style="background-image: url(/web/20240404224012im_/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/tna-about-us-transparency.jpg); background-repeat: no-repeat"> </div> </a> <div class="heading-holding-banner"> <h2 class="section-heading"><span> <span> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/"> Transparency </a> </span> </span> </h2> </div> <div class="breather no-left-right-padding no-top-padding"> <p>We strive to be an open and transparent organisation. </p> </p> <ul class="child"> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/20-year-rule/"> 20-year rule </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/register-of-interests/"> Register of interests </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/conflicts-of-interest/"> Conflicts of interest </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/energy-environment-and-sustainability/"> Energy, environment and sustainability </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/how-we-spend-public-money/"> How we spend public money </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/freedom-of-information-requests/"> Freedom of information requests </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/our-public-services/"> Our public services </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/tenders-and-contracts/"> Tenders and contracts </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/digitisation-and-digital-archives/"> Digitisation and digital archives </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/our-staff/"> Our staff </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/reclosure-panel/"> Reclosure Panel </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/misplaced-items/"> Misplaced items </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/framework-document/"> Framework document for The National Archives </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/terms-of-reference-of-the-national-archives-board/"> Terms of Reference of The National Archives’ Board </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/information-management-report/"> Information Management Report </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/covid-19-secure-risk-assessment/"> COVID-19 secure risk assessment </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/record-transfer-report/"> Record transfer report </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/record-transfer-report-local-bodies/"> Record transfer report for local bodies </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/transparency/modern-slavery-statement/"> Modern slavery statement </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="col starts-at-full ends-at-half clr box"> <div class="heading-holding-banner"> <h2 class="section-heading"><span> <span> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/management-board/"> The National Archives’ Board </a> </span> </span> </h2> </div> <div class="breather no-left-right-padding no-top-padding"> <p>The National Archives’ Board advises the Chief Executive and Keeper on the plans and strategic direction of The National Archives, providing regular reviews of performance and key risks.</p> </p> <ul class="child"> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/management-board/professor-andrew-wathey-cbe/"> Professor Andrew Wathey CBE </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/management-board/sonia-cargan/"> Sonia Cargan </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/management-board/rommel-pereira/"> Rommel Pereira </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/management-board/mark-richards/"> Mark Richards </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/management-board/baroness-ros-scott-of-needham-market/"> Baroness (Ros) Scott of Needham Market </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/management-board/alison-white/"> Alison White </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/management-board/meeting-summaries/"> Board meeting minutes </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="col starts-at-full ends-at-half clr box"> <div class="heading-holding-banner"> <h2 class="section-heading"><span> <span> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/boards-and-advisory-groups/"> Boards and advisory groups </a> </span> </span> </h2> </div> <div class="breather no-left-right-padding no-top-padding"> <p>A number of boards and groups meet to make decisions or give advice on aspects of our work.</p> </p> <ul class="child"> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/boards-and-advisory-groups/strategic-academic-stakeholder-forum/"> Strategic Academic Stakeholder Forum </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/boards-and-advisory-groups/departmental-whitley-council/"> Departmental Whitley Council </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/boards-and-advisory-groups/records-decision-panel/"> Records Decision Panel </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/boards-and-advisory-groups/discovery-board/"> Discovery Board </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/boards-and-advisory-groups/cataloguing-strategy-board/"> Cataloguing Panel </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="col starts-at-full ends-at-half clr box"> <div class="heading-holding-banner"> <h2 class="section-heading"><span> <span> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/collection-care/"> Collection care </a> </span> </span> </h2> </div> <div class="breather no-left-right-padding no-top-padding"> <p>The Collection Care department is responsible for the long-term preservation of our collection. </p> </p> <ul class="child"> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/collection-care/sustainable-environmental-management/"> Sustainable environmental management </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/collection-care/heritage-science-research-and-development/"> Heritage science research and development </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/collection-care/advice-and-guidance/"> Advice and guidance </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/collection-care/publications/"> Publications </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/collection-care/conservation-treatment-and-development/"> Conservation treatment and development </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/collection-care/lending-to-exhibitions/"> Loans for exhibitions </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="col starts-at-full ends-at-half clr box"> <div class="heading-holding-banner"> <h2 class="section-heading"><span> <span> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/advisory-council/"> Advisory Council </a> </span> </span> </h2> </div> <div class="breather no-left-right-padding no-top-padding"> <p>Advisory Council advises the Secretary of State on issues relating to access to public records and represents the public interest in deciding what records should be open or closed.</p> </p> <ul class="child"> <li class="page_item"> <a href="/web/20240404224012/https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/advisory-council/role-of-the-advisory-council/"> Role of the Advisory Council </a> </li> <li class="page_item"> <a 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