Catalogue description Records of the Transport and Communications Departments

The interest in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in matters of transport and communication stems from the need to reach international agreements on the passage of goods, persons and information between national jurisdictions. There are a number of international organisations concerned with regulating international communications, in which the FCO maintains a close interest. These functions were carried out by separate Commonwealth Office Aviation and Telecommunications and Foreign Office General Departments until May 1968, when a joint FO/CO Aviation, Marine and Telecommunications Department was established to provide a unified approach in the run up to the establishment of the FCO.