Catalogue description Board of Trade and successors: Commercial Relations and Treaties Department, Export Licensing Branch, and successors: Registered Files (ELB (P, G and R suffix) Series)

Prior to the creation of the Export Licensing Department in 1939, a Licensing Section already existed within the Commercial Relations and Treaties Department of the Board of Trade, dealing with the import and export of certain goods.

The powers of the new department, which also formed part of the Commercial Relations and Treaties Department, derived from the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 and Regulation 55 of the Defence (General) Regulations 1939. The purpose of licensing was to control United Kingdom exports, in order to conserve essential materials and deny them to enemy states. Controls could also be used to direct exports, in order to secure foreign exchange or goodwill. The work of the Export Licensing Department was divided mainly among 'goods' sections, corresponding to the group headings in the export control list. In some cases, for example diamonds and proprietary articles, advisory committees including representatives of government departments and the trade were set up to help in the administration of the control. Close contact was maintained with other departments, for instance with the Ministries of Supply, Food and Agriculture, Economic Warfare, and War Transport and with the Customs.

After the war, but by 1947, the Department became known as the Export Licensing Branch. When the Department of Overseas Trade had been abolished in 1946, a new Export Promotion Department had been set up within the Board of Trade to discharge its functions. In January 1949 this department was merged with the Commercial Relations and Treaties Department to form the Commercial Relations and Exports Department, subsequently Division. The Export Licensing Branch continued to function within this combined department, licensing the export of military goods, strategic materials, scientific equipment, live animals and works of art.