Catalogue description Mapping Places of Deposit for Public Records

The powers to create places of deposit for public records in the regions of England and Wales were created under the Public Records Act 1958 s.4 (1). The responsibility for monitoring the standards of storage and access services provided by places of deposit to the public records in their custody was, until 1991, the responsibility of a single Liaison Officer attached to the Records Administration Division of the Public Record Office. The Liaison Officer was also responsible for providing guidance and advice about the management of public records. In 1991 a separate Archive Inspection Unit was established under the Public Services Division, Preservation Department. In November 2000, the Archive Inspection Services Unit was moved to the Government, Archiving and Corporate Services Division, Records Management Department. Throughout the 1990's the staff complement had gradually increased to three permanent members of staff. Since the creation of the National Archives in April 2003 the Archive Inspection Services Unit has become part of the Records Management Advisory Service of the Records Management Department under the Director of Government and Archival Services.