Catalogue description Treasury: Exchange Control Division: Registered Files (EC and ECA Series)

The original numerical sequence of the creating body has generally been followed.

As some of the Finance and Exchange Control files were incorporated into the decentralised system, some papers are dated earlier than 1948.

Before 1948 the files were dealt with as part of the Finance (T 160) series within the Treasury Central registry system, but the Defence (Finance) regulations were registered under a system peculiar to the division. The files were given the prefix EC (Exchange Control) and a letter after the prefix gave an indication of the subject, e.g. R - Regulation; SA - Sterling Area etc. These files are listed in the first part of the list. When the Treasury adopted a de-centralised system in 1948, the files became ECA (Exchange Control Act). From piece No 349 onwards the ECA files are listed under the decentralised system's subject headings.

By 1960 the Exchange Control Act was dealt with in F (H1) Division although papers were registered under the prefix '2ECA'. This arrangement lasted until 1962 when its work was registered under the prefix '2FH'. There are some case files with references (e.g. 'EC2 Case 70') which are not part of the subject theme system.

The Exchange Control Division was set up in 1939 when it became a Treasury responsibility under the Defence (Finance) Regulations.

From 1948 to 1962 Exchange Control dealt with securities, blocked accounts legacies, emigration, redesignation of accounts, international organisation insurance gifts in cash, the Anglo-American Film Agreement, goods including import and export trade, gold coins, gifts in kind, shipping (other than import and export of currency notes), cheap sterling, enforcement and Exchange Control Act 1947 and prosecution cases, imports and exchange control, import policy, import licensing, imports for exports, overseas expenditure by government departments, commodity markets, mutual aid residual questions, capital investment abroad, foreign investment in the sterling area, royalties, patents and similar company questions.