Records of the Industrial and the Industrial and Commercial Policy Divisions and...

Division within FV

1962-1987

Records relating to industrial, and industrial and commercial policy matters, including bankruptcy, fair trading, monopolies and mergers, companies registration and insurance.

Registered files of the Industrial and the Industrial and Commercial Policy Divisions and Groups, their predecessors and successors:

• Chemicals and Textiles Division, in FV 58;
• Fair Trading Division, in FV 73;
• Industrial and Commercial Policy Divisions, in FV 11, FV 56, FV 60, FV 62, FV 83, FV 90 and FV 94;
• Industrial Reorganisation Corporation, in FV 44;
• Vehicles and Mechanical Engineering Products Division, in FV 33.
• Small Firms Division, FV 80

Records of the Ministry of Technology's input into the Office of the Queen's Award to Industry will be found in FV 18

Some files have been re-registered in:

BT 58

BT 289

BT 292

BT 299

BT 360

BT 361

BT 37

Public Record(s)

English

• Department of Industry, Industrial and Commercial Policy Division, 1974-1980
• Department of Industry, Industrial and Commercial Policy Division A, 1980-1983
• Department of Industry, Industrial and Commercial Policy Division B, 1980-1983
• Department of Trade and Industry, Industrial and Commercial Policy Division, 1973-1974
• Department of Trade and Industry, Industrial and Commercial Policy Division 1, 1970-1974
• Department of Trade and Industry, Industrial and Commercial Policy Division 2, 1970-1973
• Department of Trade and Industry, Industrial and Commercial Policy Division 3, 1970-1973
• Ministry of Technology, Central Industry Policy Division, 1967-1970
• Ministry of Technology, Industrial Policy Division, 1967-1970

13 series

The Industrial Policy Division (IP) was created in April 1967 as part of the reorganisation resulting from Ministry of Technology's (Mintech) absorption of the Ministry of Aviation (Aviation). It was one of three new general divisions created from elements in the Mintech Economics and Statistics and Finance and General Divisions, and the Aviation Economics and Statistics Branches.

IP Division's scope was described in an instruction (dated 15 February 1967). This announced the changes as a general industry division concentrated mainly on engineering - structure of the industry, monopolies and mergers, inward investment, relations with nationalised industry, prices and incomes policy, hire purchase, and scientific and technological manpower, including the strengthening of the engineering profession, industrial training and the brain drain. The division will also co-ordinate the work of the industry divisions in the use of public sector procurement to further the economic and technological development of their industries. The aerospace industry will be the responsibility of Air C Division, which will work closely with Industrial Policy Division on the application to the aerospace industry of general industrial policy.'

IP Division's scope was described in an instruction (dated 15 February 1967). This announced the changes as 'a general industry division concentrated mainly on engineering - structure of the industry, monopolies and mergers, inward investment, relations with nationalised industry, prices and incomes policy, hire purchase, and scientific and technological manpower, including the strengthening of the engineering profession, industrial training and the brain drain. The division will also co-ordinate the work of the industry divisions in the use of public sector procurement to further the economic and technological development of their industries. The aerospace industry will be the responsibility of Air C Division, which will work closely with Industrial Policy Division on the application to the aerospace industry of general industrial policy.'

By February 1970, IP Division had become Central Industry Policy (CIP) Division, and on the creation of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in October 1970, CIP became part of one of the DTI's Industrial and Commercial Policy Divisions.

The DTI organised three Industrial and Commercial Policy Divisions (Divisions 1 to 3): the Board of Trade's Insurance and Companies Department and Bankruptcy Department, including the Companies Registration Officethe Ministry of Technology's Industrial Policy Divisionthe Board of Trade's Economic (General) Division 2, with responsibilities for consumer protection.

Also upon its establishment in 1970, the DTI took over Mintech's Materials Division and Vehicles and Mechanical Engineering Products Divisions, together with the Board of Trade's Industries Division 1 (renamed as the Chemical and Textiles Division) and Industries Division 2 (somewhat expanded as the Minerals, Metals, Paper, and Timber Division

During 1973, the remaining Industrial and Commercial Policy divisions were merged into one division comprised of three branches. In 1974 when the DTI was split, the Industrial and Commercial Policy Division transferred to the Department of Industry. In 1980, the Division was split into Divisions A and B.