Annual Report 2003-2004 - National Archives of Scotland

SERVICES TO RECORD CREATORS,OWNERS AND CUSTODIANS
Work is also well underway to plan and develop the infrastructure necessary to support the
Scottish Family History Service (SFHS), a joint project between the National Archives of Scotland,
the General Register Office for Scotland and the Court of the Lord Lyon. The SFHS project aims to
establish by 2006 an enhanced and seamless service for all who are interested in their Scottish
family history. The NAS is playing a leading role in the development and implementation of this
exciting new service.
NAS has continued its close involvement with the records management implications of the
Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The Code of Practice on Records Management
under Section 61 of the Act was finalised and issued by Scottish Ministers in November 2003. In
the same month, the Keeper issued a generic Model Action Plan to assist public authorities to
modify their records management practices in line with the Code. Both documents were produced
by the Freedom of Information (FOI) Implementation Group sub-group on Records Management,
which NAS chaired. NAS also commented on an early draft of FOI training material being
developed by the Scottish Executive. The Keeper and staff from Government Records Branch
have spoken at various FOI events throughout the year, ranging from a 400-strong gathering at
Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh to a group of about 20 at a Grampian Information event in
Aberdeen. We have built up a good working relationship with the Office of the Scottish Information
Commissioner, providing them with some advice on public record issues and discussing various
archive-related issues stemming from FOI, including how records closed under the existing ‘30
year rule’ should be dealt with. NAS also continued its representation on the BSI publication board
responsible for producing handbooks on UK and Scottish Freedom of Information.
As the implementation date for the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act gets ever closer, NAS
has experienced a sharp increase in the number of organisations seeking help and advice about
records management. NAS has provided assistance to at least 31 distinct organisations or parts
of organisations. This assistance has ranged from information provided by telephone or email to
visits representing several hours’ or days’ work. The bodies assisted this year include:
Readers in the Historical Search Room.
Audit Scotland
Charity Commission
Crown Estates
Crown Office
East Lothian Council
General Register Office for Scotland
HM Inspectorate of Education
Historic Scotland
Holyrood Inquiry administration
National Museums of Scotland
National Parks Authority
NHS Common Services Agency
NHS Education for Scotland
Office of the Commissioner for Social Security
(Scottish HQ)
Queen’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer
Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration
Scottish Courts Administration
Scottish Dental Practice Board
Scottish Environmental Protection Agency
SE Building Standards Division
SE Cabinet Secretariat
SE Education and Lifelong Learning Dept
SE Home and Health Dept
SE Records Management Branch
Scottish Hospitals Trust
Scottish Law Commission
Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Water
Sport Scotland
Scottish Funding Councils for Further and
Higher Education
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