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Series

Cabinet Office: Committees (C Series) Files

Catalogue reference: CAB 165

What's it about?

CAB 165

This series contains Cabinet Office files which were used by the Cabinet Office secretariats for the work of all ministerial and official committees.

Full description and record details

Reference

CAB 165

Title
Cabinet Office: Committees (C Series) Files
Date

1951-1997

Description

This series contains Cabinet Office files which were used by the Cabinet Office secretariats for the work of all ministerial and official committees.

Arrangement
Arrangement

Numerical by C number within each transfer. The subject hierarchy filing system previously in use in the Cabinet Office, files from which are in CAB 21 and CAB 104, was replaced in 1966 by a dual system of distinct committees and subjects series. In the committees series each Cabinet committee was assigned a number prefixed with C, the Cabinet itself being C1. For each committee sub-files were raised in the following pattern:

  • /1 composition and terms of reference
  • /2 chairman's briefs
  • /3 papers relating to circulation of minutes and papers
  • /4 amendments to minutes and papers
  • /5 arrangement of committee business

Some committees had more sub-files if the substance or conduct of its business warranted them. Ministerial committees files were distinguished by a letter suffix to the number, thus:

  • A, for the Wilson administration 1964-1970
  • B for the Heath administration 1970-1974
  • C for the Wilson/Callaghan administrations 1974-1979
  • D for the Thatcher/Major administrations 1979-1997

A tendency developed to use the /5 file as a subject file, and these should be looked at in conjunction with the files in CAB 164.

C99 (ministerial) and C999 (official) files were set up for correspondence relating to the GEN and MISC committees, but these ceased to be used after a short period.

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference

C file series

Legal status

Public Record(s)

Language

English

Creator(s)
Cabinet Office, 1916-1916
Physical description

1216 file(s)

Access conditions

Open unless otherwise stated

Immediate source of acquisition

From 1999 Cabinet Office

Accumulation dates

1965 onwards

Accruals

Series is accruing

Selection and destruction information

Suffix /3 and /4 files routinely destroyed at first review; remainder subject to normal second review

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C3972/

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

134,539 records

Within the department: CAB

Records of the Cabinet Office

You are currently looking at the series: CAB 165

Cabinet Office: Committees (C Series) Files