Catalogue description Treasury: Organisation and Methods Division: Registered Files (OM and 2OM Series)

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Details of T 222
Reference: T 222
Title: Treasury: Organisation and Methods Division: Registered Files (OM and 2OM Series)
Description:

Files of the Organisation and Methods (OM) Division. The files cover a very wide range of subjects, related to the methods of working and functions of government departments and public bodies. Subject areas include:

  • the Committee on Departmental Records
  • Government Organisation Committee
  • House of Commons Disqualification Bills 1955 and 1956
  • House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957.

It includes the files of the Machinery of Government Section which was incorporated in 1947.
Date: 1923-1984
Arrangement:

Chronological within original subject classification (see Treasury Registration Systems)
Related material:

Later machinery of government files are in BA 17
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Former reference in its original department: OM and 2OM file series
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Treasury, Organisation and Methods Division, 1941-1978
Physical description: 1468 file(s)
Access conditions: Open unless otherwise stated
Immediate source of acquisition:

From 1976 Treasury
Custodial history: Most records were transferred to the Civil Service Department in 1968, and on its abolition in 1981 to the Management and Personnel Office which from 1982 formed part of the Cabinet Office
Accumulation dates: 1941 to 1960
Accruals: Series is accruing
Administrative / biographical background:

The Organisation and Methods (OM) Division was set up in 1941. Its original functions were:

  • to conduct investigations in departments which did not have Organisation and Method sections
  • to provide trained investigating staff for departmental OM sections
  • to conduct extra-departmental and inter-departmental investigations
  • to develop standard procedures for common services
  • to co-ordinate the activities of departmental OM Sections
  • to approve all requisitions for office machinery and equipment.

In 1942, following a report by Mr J.Reid Young of Vickers Ltd., an Advisory Panel of Business Men was appointed, to be responsible for the general direction of the OM Division's work and to oversee the development of the departmental OM sections. The Panel maintained contact with the Permanent Secretary, and Director of Establishments in each Department. From August 1943 the panel operated as an advisory body under a Director, Mr I.J.Pitman MP.

In 1945 the Ministerial Machinery of Government Committee declared that Treasury should take responsibility for issues relating to government machinery, and a Machinery of Government Section was set up. In 1947 this Section was incorporated into the OM Division, with the Treasury taking responsibility for the allocation of functions between Departments, and for creating government machinery to increase efficiency or to meet developments of government policy.

Following the publication of the Fulton Report in June 1968, the setting up of the Civil Service Department in November 1968 saw that Department accept responsibility for all OM Assignment Reports from 1941 and Machinery of Government and Organisation and Methods files from 1963.

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