Treasury: Economic Information Unit, later Information Division: Registered Files...

T 245

1947-1973

Files of the Economic Information Unit of the Treasury, which later became the Information Division. The files deal with publicity matters generally concerning economic affairs; they include papers of the Committee on Government Publicity.

Numerical sequence of creating body has primarily been followed.

This division had its own registry under the prefix EI until 1958 when it was brought in line with the general decentralised system and the prefix ID was introduced (see Treasury Registration Systems)

See also the files of the Board of Trade, Economic Affairs Office: BT 195

EI, ID and 2ID file series

Public Record(s)

English

• Treasury, Economic Information Unit, 1947-1950
• Treasury, Information Division, 1950-1983

61 file(s)

Subject to 30 year closure

from 1981 Treasury

1947 to 1958

Series is accruing

An Economic Information Unit was established in May 1947 and moved to the Treasury in November of the same year. The Unit soon took over part of the Overseas Information Division of the Board of Trade. In 1950 it was renamed the Information Division (ID).

Throughout its life the Information Division was involved with briefing the Chancellor, other ministers, senior officers, overseas information services, overseas visitors, and for divisional consumption. The division prepared the Economic Bulletin, Quarterly Bulletin, Bulletin for Industry, Broadsheets, popular economic booklets, economic progress reports and other publications, reference material and press cuttings. It dealt with Treasury press subjects, information policy, Free Trade Area questions, the Colombo Plan, and home, overseas and general finance.

From its inception until 1960 it also dealt with Civil Service questions and liaised with the Central Office of Information (COI) on publications.

During 1960 to 1975 the Information Division dealt with relations with the media including broadcasting liaison, press facilities, conferences, the clearance of material from the COI and other departments, Europe and the EEC, national economy, public sector, Civil Service and management (1960-1967), exchange control (1960-1967), arts and science (1960-1965), parliamentary affairs (1970-1975), prices and incomes (1965-1975), Royal Mint (1970-1975), national savings (1970-1975), industrial policy (1970-1975), fiscal policy (1971-1975), public expenditure (1973-1975), monetary policy (1973-1975), social security (1973-1975), and corresponded with MPs and the public (1967-1973).