SCHEDULES

C4C5 FIRST SCHEDULE Definition of Public Records

Section 10.

Annotations:
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C4

Sch. 1 excluded by Transport Act 1968 (c. 73), s. 144(9)

Sch. 1 excluded (E.W.S.) (1.4.1994) by 1993 c. 43, s. 125(6); S.I. 1994/571, art. 5 (with art. 7) (which exclusion was repealed (18.7.1996) by 1996 c. 42, s. 8(2)(3))

Sch. 1 excluded (E.W.S.) (18.9.1996) by 1996 c. 42, ss. 5(3), 8(3)

C5

Sch. 1: power to amend conferred (1.10.2011) by Postal Services Act 2011 (c. 5), s. 93(2)(3), Sch. 12 para. 84; S.I. 2011/2329, art. 3

1

The provisions of this Schedule shall have effect for determining what are public records for the purposes of this Act.

Departmental records

2

1

Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, administrative and departmental records belonging to Her Majesty, whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, in right of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and, in particular,—

a

records of, or held in, any department of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, or

b

records of any office, commission or other body or establishment whatsoever under Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom,

shall be public records.

2

Sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph shall not apply—

a

to records of any government department or body which is wholly or mainly concerned with Scottish affairs, or which carries on its activities wholly or mainly in Scotland, or

b

to registers or certified copies of entries in registers being registers or certified copies kept or deposited in the General Register Office under or in pursuance of any enactment, whether past or future, which provides for the registration of births, deaths, marriages F1, civil partnerships or adoptions, or

c

except so far as provided by paragraph 4 of this Schedule, to records of the Duchy of Lancaster, or

d

to records of the office of the Public Trustee relating to individual trusts F2or

e

to Welsh public records (as defined in F3the Government of Wales Act 2006).

3

1

Without prejudice to the generality of sub-paragraph (1) of the last foregoing paragraph, the administrative and departmental records of bodies and establishments set out in the Table at the end of this paragraph shall be public records, whether or not they are records belonging to Her Majesty.

2

The provisions of this paragraph shall not be taken as applying to records in any museum or gallery mentioned in the said Table which form part of its permanent collections (that is to say records which the museum or gallery has acquired otherwise than by transfer from or arrangements with a government department).

TABLE

C1PART I

BODIES AND ESTABLISHMENTS UNDER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

Responsible Government Department

F4Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

F179...

Agricultural Wages Committees.

Organisation known as the “National Farm Survey”.

Official seed testing station for England and Wales.

F160Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Meteorological Office.

F5. . .

F6. . .

F7Department of Health

National Health Service Authorities F8including F170the National Health Service Commissioning Board, clinical commissioning groups,F9Primary Care TrustsF10, National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts other than local health authorities F11and Authorities for districts or localities in Wales, or for areas in or consisting of Wales (including National Health Service trusts all of whose hospitals, establishments and facilities are situated in Wales).

F12Family Practitioner CommitteesF13for localities in England

F14health service hospitals, within the meaning of the National Health Service Act 1977F15, in England except—

records of endowments passing to Boards of Governors under section seven of the National Health Service Act 1946.

records relating to funds held by Hospital Boards and Committees under sections fifty-nine and sixty of the said Act, and records of private patients admitted under section five of the said Act.

F16records of property passing to F17Regional, Area or District Health Authorities or special health authorities under sections 23 to 26 of the M1 National Health Service Reorganisation Act 1973 F18, section 92 of the National Health Service Act 1977, section 213 of the National Health Service Act 2006 or section 161 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006

records of property held by a F19Regional, Area or District Health Authority or special health authority under section 21 or 22 of the said Act 1973F20, section 90 or 91 of the National Health Service Act 1977, section 218 of the National Health Service Act 2006 or paragraph 8 of Schedule 6 to that Act, or paragraph 8 of Schedule 5 to the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006

F21records of trust property passing to F171the National Health Service Commissioning Board, a clinical commissioning group, a F22Strategic Health Authority, Health Authority, Special Health Authority or Primary Care Trust by virtue of the Health Authorities Act 1995 F23, under section 213 of the National Health Service Act 2006 or section 161 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006,F172or section 300 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 or held by F173 the National Health Service Commissioning Board, a clinical commissioning group orF24a Strategic Health Authority or a Health Authority under section 90 or 91 of F25the National Health Service Act 1977, section 218 of the National Health Service Act 2006, paragraph 12 of Schedule 2 to, or paragraph 8 of Schedule 6 to, that Act, or F174by virtue of section 2 and section 13X of, or paragraph 20 of Schedule 1A to, that Act, or under paragraph 8 of Schedule 5 to the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006.

F26. . .

Home Office

Office of Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

Office of Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District.

F27Department of Employment

National Dock Labour Board.

National Institute of Houseworkers Limited.

Wages Boards and Wages Councils.

F28Department of Social Security

National Insurance Advisory Committee.

Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.

F29Attendance Allowance Board.

National Insurance and Industrial Injuries Joint Authorities.

Workmen’s Compensation Supplementation Board.

Pneumoconiosis and Byssinosis Benefit Board.

F30. . .

F31. . .

F32Department of Transport

Air Transport Advisory Council.

Air Registration Board.

F33Airworthiness Requirements Board, Civil Aviation Authority.

F34Strategic Rail Authority.

F35Ministry of Justice

F36Legal Aid Board

F178...

C2C6PART II

OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS AND ORGANISATIONS

  • F37...

  • Anglo-Egyptian Resettlement Board.

  • F38Armouries

  • F39Arts and Humanities Research Council.

  • F40The Big Lottery Fund.

  • F41The Board of the Pension Protection Fund.

  • F42The Board of Trustees of the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside.

  • F43British Coal Corporation

  • F44British Council.

  • British Museum (including the Natural History Museum).

  • F45Care Council for Wales.

  • F46The Care Quality Commission F169and the Healthwatch England committee.

  • Catering Wages Commission.

  • F47Central Police Training and Development Authority

  • F48Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.

  • F167...

  • F49Civil Nuclear Police Authority.

  • F50Coal Authority

  • Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation.

  • F51Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.

  • F52The Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

  • F53...

  • F54...

  • F55Commission on Industrial Relations

  • F56Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

  • F57Commission for Rural Communities.

  • F58...

  • F59The Committee on Climate Change.

  • F159 The company that was nominated under section 62 of the Postal Services Act 2000 (reorganisation of the Post Office: transfer of property etc to nominated company).

  • F182Competition and Markets Authority.

  • F186...

  • F60Competition Service

  • F155Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

  • F61...

  • F62Consumer Council for Water.

  • F175...

  • F63...

  • F64Criminal Cases Review Commission

  • F65Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations (before and after their reconstitution as a body corporate) except when acting for governments or authorities outside Her Majesty’s dominions.

  • F66Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board.

  • C3F67...

  • F68...

  • F69A development agency established under section 1 of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998.

  • Development Commission.

  • F70Director of Fair Access to Higher Education

  • F71...

  • F72Economic and Social Research Council.

  • F73Electoral Commission.

  • F74. . .

  • F75Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

  • F76...

  • F77The Environment Agency

  • C3F78 Funding Agency for Schools

  • F79Further Education Funding Council for England.

  • F80...

  • F180Gambling Commission.

  • F191Gangmasters Licensing Authority

  • F61...

  • F81General Social Care Council.

  • F166...

  • F82General Teaching Council for Wales.

  • F79Higher Education Funding Council for England.

  • F83...

  • F84Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England

  • F85The Homes and Communities Agency.

  • F86Human Tissue Authority.

  • Imperial War Museum.

  • F87The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

  • F88Information Commissioner.

  • F89Infrastructure Planning Commission.

  • Irish Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Land Trust.

  • F154...

  • F90The Legal Services Board.

  • F91The Legal Services Consultative Panel.

  • F161...

  • F92Local Better Regulation Office.

  • F153Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

  • London Museum.

  • F93The Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct

  • F94. . .

  • F147The Marine Management Organisation.

  • F95Medical Research Council.

  • F96...

  • F97F98Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  • F99National Audit Office

  • F53...

  • F100. . .

  • F187...

  • National Gallery.

  • F96...

  • F181...

  • National Maritime Museum.

  • F76...

  • F183...

  • National Portrait Gallery.

  • National Savings Committee.

  • F101Natural England.

  • F102Natural Environment Research Council.

  • F103...

  • F96...

  • F104Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

  • F105Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority.

  • F157Office for Budget Responsibility.

  • F106Office of Communications.

  • F107...

  • F186...

  • F150The Office of the Health Professions Adjudicator.

  • F108The Office for Legal Complaints.

  • F185Office for Nuclear Regulation

  • F162...

  • F190...

  • F109Olympic Lottery Distributor.

  • F110The Ombudsman for the Board of the Pension Protection Fund.

  • F151Passengers’ Council.

  • F111Pensions Compensation Board.

  • F112Pensions Ombudsman.

  • F113The Pensions Regulator.

  • F177...

  • F114Police Information Technology Organisation

  • F158....

  • F158...

  • F159A Post Office company within the meaning of Part 1 of the Postal Services Act 2011.

  • F176The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care

  • F164...

  • F115...

  • F116Rail Passengers’ Committees.

  • F152...

  • F189The Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists

  • Remploy Limited.

  • F117Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

  • Royal Greenwich Observatory.

  • F159A Royal Mail company within the meaning of Part 1 of the Postal Services Act 2011.

  • C3F118School Curriculum and Assessment Authority

  • C3F119...

  • F120Science Museum

  • F121Security Industry Authority.

  • F184...

  • F122...

  • F123...

  • F124The Simpler Trade Procedures Board.

  • F168Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission

  • Tate Gallery.

  • F125...

  • F126Technology Strategy Board.

  • F127Traffic Director for London

  • F163...

  • F128. . .

  • F156The trustee corporation established by section 75 of the Pensions Act 2008.

  • Trustee Savings Banks Inspection Committee.

  • United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

  • University Grants Committee.

  • F129Valuation Tribunal Service.

  • F130Victoria and Albert Museum

  • Wallace Collection.

  • War Works Commission.

  • F165...

  • Any body established for the purpose of determining the boundaries of constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, or of local authorities in England F131....

F1323A

1

Her Majesty may by Order in Council amend the Table at the end of paragraph 3 of this Schedule by adding to either Part of the Table an entry relating to any body or establishment—

a

which, at the time when the Order is made, is specified in Schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (departments, etc. subject to investigation), or

b

in respect of which an entry could, at that time, be added to Schedule 2 to that Act by an Order in Council under section 4 of that Act (which confers power to amend that Schedule).

2

An Order in Council under this paragraph may relate to a specified body or establishment or to bodies or establishments falling within a specified description.

3

An Order in Council under this paragraph shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Records of courts and tribunals

4

1

Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, records of the following descriptions shall be public records for the purposes of this Act:—

F133za

records of the Supreme Court;

a

records of, or held in any department of, the Supreme Court (including any court held under a commission of assize);

F188aa

records of the family court;

b

records of county courts and of any other superior or inferior court of record established since the passing of the M2County Courts Act 1846;

F134c

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

d

records of courts of quarter sessions:

e

records of magistrates’ courts;

f

records of coroners’ courts;

F135fa

records of the Court Martial, the Summary Appeal Court or the Service Civilian Court;

g

records of courts-martial held whether within or outside the United Kingdom by any of Her Majesty’s forces raised in the United Kingdom;

h

records of naval courts held whether within or outside the United Kingdom under the enactments relating to merchant shipping;

i

records of any court exercising jurisdiction held by Her Majesty within a country outside Her dominions;

j

records of any tribunal (by whatever name called)—

i

which has jurisdiction connected with any functions of a department of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom; or

ii

which has jurisdiction in proceedings to which such a government department is a party or to hear appeals from decisions of such a government department;

F148ja

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

k

records of F136. . . any Rent Tribunal or Local Valuation Court;

l

records of the Industrial Court, of the Industrial Disputes Tribunal, and of the National Arbitration Tribunal (which was replaced by the Industrial Disputes Tribunal);

m

records of umpires and deputy-umpires appointed under the M3National Service Act 1948, or the M4Reinstatement in Civil Employment Act 1944;

n

records of ecclesiastical courts when exercising the testamentary and matrimonial jurisdiction removed from them by the M5Court of Probate Act 1857, and the M6Matrimonial Causes Act 1857, respectively;

F149nn

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

o

records of such other courts or tribunals (by whatever name called) as the Lord Chancellor may by order contained in a statutory instrument specify.

F1371A

Records of, or held in any department of, the Supreme Court within sub-paragraph (1)(a) of this paragraph include the records of the Chancery Court of the county palatine of Lancaster and the Chancery Court of the county palatine of Durham (which were abolished by the Courts Act 1971).

1B

Records of county courts within sub-paragraph (1)(b) of this paragraph include the records of the following courts (which were abolished by the Courts Act 1971)—

a

the Tolzey and Pie Poudre Courts of the City and County of Bristol;

b

the Liverpool Court of Passage;

c

the Norwich Guildhall Court; and

d

the Court of Record for the Hundred of Salford.

2

This paragraph shall not apply to any court or tribunal whose jurisdiction extends only to Scotland or Northern Ireland.

3

In this paragraph “records” includes records of any proceedings in the court or tribunal in question and includes rolls, writs, books, decrees, bills, warrants and accounts of, or in the custody of, the court or tribunal in question.

Records of the Chancery of England

5

The records of the Chancery of England F138, other than any which are Welsh public records (as defined in F139the Government of Wales Act 2006), shall be public records for the purposes of this Act.

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F138

Words in Sch. 1 para. 5 inserted (1.4.1999) by 1998 c. 38, s. 125, Sch. 12 para. 3(4) (with ss. 139(2), 143(2)); S.I. 1999/782, art. 2

F139

Words in Sch. 1 para. 5 substituted by Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32) , s. 160(1), {Sch. 10 para. 7(b)}, the amending provision coming into force immediately after "the 2007 election" (held on 3.5.2007) subject to s. 161(4)(5) of the amending Act, which provides for certain provisions to come into force for specified purposes immediately after the end of "the initial period" (which ended with the day of the first appointment of a First Minister on 25.5.2007) - see ss. 46, 161(1)(4)(5) of the amending Act.

Records in Public Record Office

6

Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this Schedule, public records for the purposes of this Act shall include—

a

all records within the meaning of the M7Public Record Office Act 1838, or to which that Act was applied, which at the commencement of this Act are in the custody of the Master of the Rolls in pursuance of that Act, and

b

all records (within the meaning of the said Act or to which that Act was applied) which at the commencement of this Act are in the Public Record Office and, in pursuance of the said Act, under the charge and superintendence of the Master of the Rolls, and

c

all records forming part of the same series as any series of documents falling under sub-paragraph (a) or sub-paragraph (b) of this paragraph F140other than any which are Welsh public records (as defined in F141the Government of Wales Act 2006).

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F140

Words in Sch. 1 para. 6 inserted (1.4.1999) by 1998 c. 38, s. 125, Sch. 12 para. 3(5) (with ss. 139(2), 143(2)); S.I. 1999/782, art. 2

F141

Words in Sch. 1 para. 6 substituted by Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32) , s. 160(1), {Sch. 10 para. 7(c)}, the amending provision coming into force immediately after "the 2007 election" (held on 3.5.2007) subject to s. 161(4)(5) of the amending Act, which provides for certain provisions to come into force for specified purposes immediately after the end of "the initial period" (which ended with the day of the first appointment of a First Minister on 25.5.2007) - see ss. 46, 161(1)(4)(5) of the amending Act.

Marginal Citations

Power to add further categories of records and to determine cases of doubt

7

1

Without prejudice to the Lord Chancellor’s power of making orders under paragraph 4 of this Schedule, Her Majesty may by Order in Council direct that any description of records not falling within the foregoing provisions of this Schedule F142and not being Welsh public records (as defined in F143the Government of Wales Act 2006) shall be treated as public records for the purposes of this Act but no recommendation shall be made to Her Majesty in Council to make an Order under this sub-paragraph unless a draft of the Order has been laid before Parliament and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.

2

A question whether any records or description of records are public records for the purposes of this Act shall be referred to and determined by the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chancellor shall include his decisions on such questions in his annual report to Parliament and shall from time to time compile and publish lists of the departments, bodies, establishments, courts and tribunals comprised in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of this Schedule and lists describing more particularly the categories of records which are, or are not, public records as defined in this Schedule.

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F142

Words in Sch. 1 para. 7(1) inserted (1.4.1999) by 1998 c. 38, s. 125, Sch. 12 para. 3(6) (with ss. 139(2), 141(1)); S.I. 1999/782, art. 2

F143

Words in Sch. 1 para. 7(1) substituted by Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32) , s. 160(1), {Sch. 10 para. 7(d)}, the amending provision coming into force immediately after "the 2007 election" (held on 3.5.2007) subject to s. 161(4)(5) of the amending Act, which provides for certain provisions to come into force for specified purposes immediately after the end of "the initial period" (which ended with the day of the first appointment of a First Minister on 25.5.2007) - see ss. 46, 161(1)(4)(5) of the amending Act.

Interpretation

8

It is hereby declared that any description of government department, court, tribunal or other body or establishment in this Schedule by reference to which a class of public records is framed extends to a government department, court, tribunal or other body or establishment, as the case may be, which has ceased to exist, whether before or after the passing of this Act.

F144SECOND SCHEDULE

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F145THIRD SCHEDULE

Annotations:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F146FOURTH SCHEDULE

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .