Catalogue description Records of the Office for Wales of the Board of Trade and successor

In 1942 the Board of Trade set up an Office for Wales in Cardiff (which became the first office in the Board's new regional organisation), although the Board had no formal network of regional offices until 1945, when those of the Control of Factory and Storage became the regional offices of a newly constituted Board of Trade Regional Organisation. These regional offices provided intelligence on all matters concerning the Board in their regions and carried out certain duties delegated from headquarters departments, especially concerning policy on the distribution of industry and export promotion and services. They also acted as local agents for the Ministry of Materials during its existence from 1951 to 1954.

The Board of Trade was also responsible for servicing the advisory Regional Boards for Industry, inherited from the Ministry of Production in 1945 and abolished in 1964.

From 1 August 1957 the regional offices were merged with the regional offices of the Ministry of Supply, being responsible to that ministry for work done on its behalf until it was abolished in 1959.

In October 1970 the Board of Trade was dissolved and its functions transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry, who maintained a presence in Wales.

In July 1975 the whole of the Department of Industry Office for Wales was transferred to the Welsh Office, following decisions made at the end of 1974 to transfer responsibilities for regional selective assistance to industry, for Government factory building in Wales and for the Welsh Industrial Estates Corporation and certain steering and promotional activities within Wales.

The Industry Department was set up in 1976 within the Finance Group but by 1978 it had become a department in its own right. It was responsible for attracting new industry to Wales and to encourage the expansion and modernisation of existing industry. It provided advice and guidance to existing and potential exporters. It also had responsibilities in the area of energy conservation and production including the use of nuclear fuels. It liaised with the Welsh Development Agency and has responsibility for the administration of regional development grants.