Finance F/1-10 F.AD F/AUDIT

This section concerns Finance Department files. The Estimates files sometimes contain reasons for increase or reduction of figures, and correspondence with the Treasury may contain discussions of priorities in deciding where cuts can be made. The draft paragraphs for inclusion in the Memorandum by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury may contain policy statements. Preparation of the Estimates called for some consideration of the economic position, for example, in deciding probable numbers on the Live Register on which were based estimates of contributions to the Unemployment Insurance Fund. Drafts of Blue Notes for the Treasury, under 'Finance: Estimates', contain much information on the organisation of the Ministry. Files on the financing of the Unemployment Fund and the cost of transitional payments are under 'Finance: Funds'.

During the first few years of the department files were sometimes distinguished according to the section of the Ministry they dealt with by adding the code for the department, e.g. F (HQ), F.T., F.DR. Sometimes the code is in brackets.

F.AD files are in LAB 7/112, which contains dockets for two special sections.

Later F files were dividied into ten sections according to the work done. For example, 1/F covered general questions and financial matters affecting the Employment and Insurance Department; 2/F questions affecting the headquarters of the Ministry, the Industrial Relations, and the General Department, 3/F and 4/F the Appointments and Training Departments; and papers concerning estimates were put in 7/F.

F.AD files deal with the Appointments Department and grants made under Royal Warrant and under Maintenance and Training Grants Scheme; all are dated 1919 and are in LAB 2/1520-LAB 2/1521.

F/Audit files deal with questions raised by the Exchequer and Audit Department and cover the years 1925-1938.

Some F files will also be found in LAB 4 Unemployment Grants Committee, and a few were transferred to PIN 6, Royal Commission on Unemployment Insurance, and PIN 7, Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance, 1912-1950. See: PIN 6 PIN 7 LAB 4

See also LAB 2/1520-1521: LAB 2/1520

The Finance Department began as a branch of the Civil Demobilisation and Resettlement Department and was established as a separate department in January 1919, under an Accountant General. The Finance Department was concerned with every aspect of the work of the Ministry, and discusssion of finance often raised questions of policy.