SUMMARY
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES’
RECORDS DECISION PANEL, 26 JANUARY 2016
Litvinenko Inquiry Records - Retention Schedule
The Panel approved the proposed retention schedule for the records of the
Litvinenko Inquiry. The Inquiry report was published on 21 January 2016.
The Inquiry records will be held by the Home Office, the sponsoring
department, pending closure applications to the Advisory Council on National
Records and Archives.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Non–departmental record series
The Panel made the following selection decisions:
Allied Control Commissions Records
(111 boxes of documents dating from 1918 to 1990)
These records were created by the Allied Control Commissions which were
active in post war Germany and other axis countries. The Panel noted that
some of this material is already held at The National Archives in series
WO219, WO220, WO252 and AIR 55. The Panel, therefore, agreed that only
the following records should be selected for transfer to The National Archives:

Negotiable Instruments and Securities Registers as these are a key
record of claims for reimbursement/restitution of property made by
German citizens against the British Military Government.

Allied Control Commissions’ Committee papers, agenda and minutes
and Control Commission Germany Library material, where not already
held at The National Archives.

Selected High Court case files, where records lead to a change in
policy or add to information already available.
British Military Government - Berlin Series
(142 boxes of documents dating from 1946 to 1969)
These records were produced by the British Military Government based in
Berlin which took over the work of the Allied Control Commission British
element. The Panel agreed that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
should review the following records on a file by file basis to determine which
were of historical value and should be transferred to The National Archives:



British Military Government Berlin policy files
Legal Branch case files
Coroners’ files and legal documents pertaining to Berlin
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It was agreed that copies of the British Military Gazette and Official
Kommandatura Gazette could be offered to a library or research institution.
Draft updated Operational Selection Policy (OSP) 36: Publications/Grey
Literature
The Panel approved the draft updated Operational Selection Policy OSP36
Publications/Grey Literature, subject to some amendments. Once these
amendments have been incorporated, the draft OSP36 will be published on
The National Archives’ website for a three month consultation period.
Date of next meeting
The next meeting is to be held on 23 February 2016 at 3pm.
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