Treasury: National Resources Divisions: Registered Files (2NR Series)

T 298

1959-1963

Files of the National Resources Divisions (NR) I and II. The files reflect the wide-ranging responsibilities of the NR Divisions. The following is a summary of the principal subjects that occur in the files:

Nationalisation and denationalisation; nationalised companies, electricity generating authorities, incomes policy, coal, iron and steel, Economic Planning Board, Economic Survey, Long Term Economic Review, National Economic Development Council, National Production Advisory Council on Industry, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), Permanent Secretaries Group on Incomes and Prices, Post Office, public expenditure, including the Committee on Control of Government Expenditure (Plowden Committee) and public investment, including roads programmes.

Chronological within original subject classification

Files of the Public Income/Outlay Division (2P10 and 2PIO.EST) were re-registered in

T 320

2NR file series

Public Record(s)

English

382 file(s)

Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated

From 1992 Treasury

1960 to 1962

Series is accruing

The two NR Divisions (NR1 and NR2) were set up in 1958 following the abolition of the Home and Overseas Planning Staff (HOPS) Division. The NR Divisions inherited HOPS Division's home economic planning functions.There was a split of functions between the NR divisions:

NR1 dealt with specific sectors of the economy, principally power-related questions (oil, coal, gas, electricity, steel and nationalised industries relating to the same), transport-related questions including the British Transport Commission and the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, monopolies and the Post Office.

NR2 covered more general issues, such as economic surveys; planning and forecasting; public and private investment; exports; regional and local development; and natural resources. It also had dealings with the OEEC and the NATO.

In 1960 the Estimates Clerk and his supporting staff were transferred to NR2 from the Treasury's Home Finance Division, which passed further responsibilities relating to taxation to NR2 in 1962. At the same time NR2 took over NR1's functions in regard to incomes policy, monopolies and restrictive practices. NR2 also became responsible for work relating to the Secretary of the Budget Committee, the Treasury Budget Security Officer, the Committee on the Review of Taxation Policy, and the Long Term Policies Group's Sub-Group on Fiscal Provisions and Policies.

The NR Divisions were abolished during a re-organisation of the Treasury in 1962. NR1's work in regard to nationalised industries passed to the Treasury's Public Enterprises Division, while NR2's responsibilities for general economic planning, forecasting, etc. passed to the two divisions of the Treasury's newly formed National Economy Group.