Records of the Legal Departments

Records concerning legal areas of the Ministry's work, including questions of legislation, the drafting of new benefit and pensions regulations, and prosecutions for offences under the National Insurance Acts.

Bill papers relating to national insurance, pensions and unemployment legislation are in PIN 3. Files relating to legal proceedings are in PIN 31

Other bill papers relating to national insurance legislation are in: PIN 20 PIN 21

• Department of Health and Social Security, Legal Branch, 1968-1969
• Department of Health and Social Security, Legal Department, 1968-1969
• Department of Health and Social Security, Solicitors Office, 1969-1988
• Ministry of National Insurance, Legal Department, 1947-1953
• Ministry of National Insurance, Legal Division, 1944-1946
• Ministry of National Insurance, Solicitors Department, 1946-1947
• Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, Legal Department, 1953-1966
• Ministry of Social Security, Legal Department, 1966-1968

Topics

Litigation

Labour

Pay and pensions

Following the formation of the Ministry of National Insurance, the Legal Department (initially titled the Legal Division, and then the Solicitor's Department) was created, headed by the Solicitor. The Solicitor and his staff were responsible for advising on all legal matters arising in the course of administration. This included the drawing up of instructions for parliamentary counsel on questions of legislation and the drafting of new regulations on benefits or pensions. They also conducted prosecutions for offences under the National Insurance Acts, including the recovery of arrears in contributions.

After 1953, the Legal Department was transferred between successor departments of the Ministry of National Insurance, before evolving into the Solicitor's Office of the Department of Health and Social Security in 1969.