Catalogue description War Cabinet and Cabinet Office: Joint American Secretariat: Correspondence and Papers

Original numerical sequence of creating body has been followed

The Joint American Secretariat (originally named the North American Secretariat) was formally established within the War Cabinet Secretariat in October 1942, to co-ordinate all policy matters arising in the field of Anglo-American supply. It continued throughout the Second World War.

Its heads and staff were provided jointly by the War Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Production, and were responsible to the Secretary of the War Cabinet on the one hand, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Production on the other. Its joint heads also acted as Secretaries to the Cabinet North American Supply Committee. The Ministry of Production head of the Secretariat also acted as Secretary to the London Committee of the Combined Production and Resources Board.

The Secretariat provided the telegraphic channels with the British Supply Council in Washington which acted for all the British Civil Missions there, and was responsible for the inter-departmental circulation of all documents dealing with Anglo-American supply, including North American Supply, Lend-Lease, Supplies to Liberated Areas, Combined Production and Resources Board, and the Middle East Supply Council. The Secretariat also provided general liaison with the American Mission for Economic Affairs in London, and arranged for the exchange of technical and scientific information on production matters.