Catalogue description Cabinet Office: Committees (C Series) Files

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Date range

Details of CAB 165
Reference: CAB 165
Title: Cabinet Office: Committees (C Series) Files
Description:

This series contains Cabinet Office files which were used by the Cabinet Office secretariats for the work of all ministerial and official committees.

Date: 1965-1996
Arrangement:

Numerical by C number within each transfer. The subject hierarchy filing system previously in use in the Cabinet Office, files from which are in CAB 21 and CAB 104, was replaced in 1966 by a dual system of distinct committees and subjects series. In the committees series each Cabinet committee was assigned a number prefixed with C, the Cabinet itself being C1. For each committee sub-files were raised in the following pattern:

  • /1 composition and terms of reference
  • /2 chairman's briefs
  • /3 papers relating to circulation of minutes and papers
  • /4 amendments to minutes and papers
  • /5 arrangement of committee business

Some committees had more sub-files if the substance or conduct of its business warranted them. Ministerial committees files were distinguished by a letter suffix to the number, thus:

  • A, for the Wilson administration 1964-1970
  • B for the Heath administration 1970-1974
  • C for the Wilson/Callaghan administrations 1974-1979
  • D for the Thatcher/Major administrations 1979-1997

A tendency developed to use the /5 file as a subject file, and these should be looked at in conjunction with the files in CAB 164.

C99 (ministerial) and C999 (official) files were set up for correspondence relating to the GEN and MISC committees, but these ceased to be used after a short period.

Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department: C file series
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Physical description: 1212 file(s)
Access conditions: Open unless otherwise stated
Immediate source of acquisition:

From 1999 Cabinet Office

Accumulation dates: 1965 onwards
Selection and destruction information: Suffix /3 and /4 files routinely destroyed at first review; remainder subject to normal second review
Accruals: Series is accruing

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