Records of the Air Divisions, their predecessors and successors

Records relating to civil aviation matters, including aerospace research, development and procurement, the development of Concorde, and the nationalisation and oversight of Rolls Royce Ltd.

Registered files of the Air Divisions, their predecessors and successors, are in FV 2, FV 14, FV 17 and FV 30

Topics

Air transport

Prior to the creation of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in 1970, many civil aviation functions were successively the responsibility of the Ministry of Aviation, the Board of Trade, and the Ministry of Technology.

In October 1970 when the Ministry of Technology was merged into the DTI, its responsibilities for aerospace research, development and procurement, both civil and military, were allotted to a separate Ministry of Aviation Supply (MAS).

The MAS was set up purely as a temporary measure to deal with the government's responsibilities for defence procurement and aerospace research and development. It briefly took over the responsibilities of the Ministry of Technology (Mintech) in this area until the White Paper on Government organisation for defence procurement and civil aerospace (Cmnd 4641) reallocated them.

In May 1971, the MAS was dissolved only a matter of months after its creation. Its responsibilities for civil aerospace policy and relations with the industries concerned were transferred to the DTI, and its responsibilities for defence procurement to the Ministry of Defence.

Also upon its creation in 1970, the DTI inherited from the Board of Trade its various civil aviation divisions and divisional organisations, including the Accidents Investigation Branch, the Controllerate of National Air Traffic Control Services (CNATCS) and the Aeronautical Information Service. On 1 May 1971, on the dissolution of the Ministry of Aviation Supply, the DTI took over the responsibilities and organisation for aerospace development and procurement inherited by that Ministry from the Ministry of Technology. At its transfer CNATCS had included the Directorate of Control (Linesman/Mediator), but this was disbanded in September 1971 when the newly created Directorate of Data Processing (Air Traffic Services) assumed its responsibilities. The new Directorate assumed responsibility for all aspects of air traffic services data processing, including those previously held by the Directorate of Telecommunications. The DTI's Air 3 Division was given the responsibility of dealing with matters arising from the appointment of a Receiver and Manager for Rolls Royce Ltd, and the establishment of a new company, Rolls Royce (1971) Ltd.

In April 1972, most civil aviation functions were transferred to the new Civil Aviation Authority. The DTI continued to exercise responsibility for the policy, development and international relations aspects of civil aviation, and the Accidents Investigation Branch. On the separation of the Departments of Trade and Industry in March 1974, the responsibilities for development and for aerospace passed to the Department of Industry, while the remaining civil aviation functions passed to the Department of Trade. In June 1983, these aviation responsibilities were transferred to the Department of Transport and subsequently to the Civil Aviation Authority.